Looking back I can hear the music in my head “Breaking up is hard to do”. It was a popular hit song recorded in 1962 by Neil Sedaka. Although breaking up has never been easy it has become easier and less personal for many. In the past breaking up was done in person, face to face, whereas today new technology has enabled people to break up in non-personal ways, such as text messaging.
An arranged marriage is where marriages are put together by their parents. The parents pick out one or a couple of people that would be right for their child. The parents get their child and their pick together and hopefully over time they begin to like each other and eventually decide to marry each other. This is done in places like Africa, Asia, and the Middle East . Here in the article called “What are Arranged Marriages?”, S.E. Smith writes about the history of arranged marriages. “For centuries, arranged marriage was the only way to marry in most cultures, and it was believed to ensure stronger, happier marriages which also took the form of economic, social, and political alliances” (S.E. Smith). Breaking up from an arranged marriage was done in person.
The best way to break up with a person is to do it face-to-face. To plan, practice, figure out where, to think about why you are going to break up, and break up in person. Face to face is also the traditional way to break up. It is difficult and always has been hard to do, but when it needs to be done it needs to be done the traditional way. If someone was going to propose marriage their would be preparation and thought and a plan to doing that, so likewise there needs to be preparation and thought and a plan when one is breaking up. It is important to note that there are some things to be gained by breaking up face to face. If both people are there each person has the chance to ask questions such as; “Why do you want to break up with me?”, and “What went wrong?” To have a chance to ask questions and understand will help both people to explore and figure out what they may want in their future relationships, and to bring closure to this relationship. Letters have been used to break up relationships since the mail delivery system was developed. More recently the invention of the telephone provided another option to the process of breaking up. This option may be easier but convenience also meant it wasn’t face-to-face and therefore was less personal. Text messaging is a very recent and easy to use innovation which again is used to break up. However, text messages are also impersonal and leave the receiver without a voice or a face to work with. Text messaging, because it is so easy to use, makes it easier than breaking up in person.
The essay of Sarita James demonstrates how an innovation such as text messaging impacted their cultural tradition. Sarita’s parents found a man who came from the right family background, community, religion, and region. Her parents arranged times to get her and the “suitable boy” together on family outings and at different family gatherings. Eventually Sarita decided to marry her suitable boy and, of course, her parents called the “suitable boy’s” parents to propose the marriage. His parents had already arranged for him to meet two other women back in India India
In the end the innovation of text messaging has changed the tradition of breaking up from in person to a quick and easy push of the buttons.
Works Cited
“How to Break Up with Someone” Mahalo.com. 2008. Mahalo.com Incorporated. 20 May 2011.
James, Sarita. "Let Me Find My Own Husband" Remix Reading
Catherine G. Latterell. Boston
Smith, S.E.. “What are Arranged Marriages?” wiseGEEK.com. 15 May 2011. wiseGEEK.com.
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