3.1. Cultural Differences in Marriage and Family Structure

But still I do not want to live there because why; because we are social animals, we cannot live in isolation so, if instead of that, I send dogs or maybe cow, lion, can we call it kind of they are my companions, I can stay with them, am I social now; basically, no.

I need fellow members who look like me, who can talk to me and with whom I can interact with so, this other fellow, not only dogs, cats, lions but I want the human being right.

Humans are inherently social beings, meaning we thrive on interactions with others. Living in isolation, even with animals, does not fulfill our social needs. We seek companionship not just for interaction but also for connection with those who share similarities with us, such as appearance, language, and cultural background.

Consider a student studying abroad. Even though they may have a host family or pets, they often seek out friends from their home country or similar cultural backgrounds to feel connected and less lonely.

So, we all comprise, want to live together, sometimes based on nation, race, linguistic groups, town, occupations, we want to live together and that’s how we form, create society and community.

Now, if I want to live there, okay and what is missing here like 3, 4, 5 people coming from same nations or same linguistic group or maybe same hometown, they are living together, what is missing there in this diagram, what is not there; that a society needs a human being are missing, human beings are missing.

For a functioning society, people must not only coexist but also interact. Isolation from meaningful interaction can lead to feelings of disconnect even among those who share cultural or linguistic similarities. Societies are built on relationships formed through shared experiences and communication, highlighting the vital need for interaction.

Think of a neighborhood filled with families who rarely talk to each other. While they may live close together, their community lacks the genuine connections that create a sense of belonging.

So, but then now question is that how do you make interactions, I have different identity and roles, sometimes I am a father, sometimes I am a son, sometimes I am a friend, sometimes I am a teacher so, the way I talk to my students, I talked to my friends, these 2 interactions are different so, how to control like suppose, if at the middle of the night, I call you and say hey, hello how are you, well this is not socially accepted, nobody would bother that one.

Social interactions vary based on roles and context. One might behave differently as a parent compared to being a friend or teacher. Recognizing appropriate behavior and communication for each role is crucial for healthy interactions and relationships. For example, calling someone late at night might not be considered appropriate while texting them during the day is more acceptable.

Imagine a high school teacher who is friendly with their students. While they may joke around in class, calling a student at home would be perceived differently, emphasizing the importance of boundaries in various relationships.

This is considered to be a marriage and institutions but it is completely different in 2 different culture like, in case of United States people tend to view marriage as a choice between two people based on mutual feeling of love but in case of Hindu marriage, maybe in not in every cases but in a lot of cases is arranged through an intricate process of interviews and negotiations between two parties, two families.

Marriage can be understood differently across cultures. In many Western contexts, marriage is often based on romantic love and personal choice. In contrast, some cultures, like certain Indian traditions, may emphasize arranged marriages that involve families negotiating and making decisions together. This highlights how cultural values shape the institution of marriage.

Consider a couple in the U.S. who choose to marry after dating for several years compared to a couple in India who might feel pressure to marry based on family arrangements. Both approaches reflect different cultural beliefs about love and partnership.

Here, the two partners have very limited choice to make decisions by their own or when we are talking about family, you can look in the left-hand side an Indonesian Muslim family, in the right-hand side, a Christian nuclear family in Europe so, they are very different but they are both considered as family.

Family structures differ widely across cultures. While some cultures value large extended families, others prioritize smaller nuclear families. Each structure meets the needs of the individuals involved and reflects societal norms and values regarding kinship and relationships.

For instance, an Indonesian family might live together under one roof with many relatives, sharing responsibilities, while a European family might consist of just parents and children, reflecting differing cultural definitions of family.

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