*dimsumdolly* - the different morsels of the life of a foodie

I Don't Love You But I'll Still Marry You

I was having dinner at a Han’s outlet two nights ago and sitting next to me was a couple in their early 30s waiting for their food to be served. But instead of talking to each other, both of them were busy playing around with their mobile phones. The guy was toying with the camera in his phone while the lady was playing a game. This went on for quite long and there I’m thinking, what’s the point of being out with each other at all when all you’re interested in is your phone??? I can’t fathom it.

What’s even more bizarre is this new innovation by a Hong Kong firm. Guys can now have a virtual girlfriend named Vivienne. Apparently, she likes to be taken to movies, given virtual flowers and you can even marry her in a virtual ceremony! Plans are in the pipeline to have a virtual boyfriend, a gay boyfriend and a lesbian girlfriend. Like I’m sorry, if you really need this, you REALLY need to see a doctor. But manufacturers say this is not meant to replace a real-life companion. Like DUH!

Speaking of couples, it was reported in a survey that Singaporean couples may not be happy with their partners but they will still marry them anyway. People are just getting married for the sake of marrying and cowering to societal pressure. It’s like there are some things one has to do by a certain age and if you don’t do it, you’re some loser. Getting married just for the sake of doing so is just insane. Just goes to show there are a lot of mad people out there.

You're a pain, but let's get married anyway

SINGAPORE, March 4 (Reuters) - Singaporean couples may not be happy with their partners but they will still marry them anyway, a global survey on relationships shows.

The poll of 716 couples who planned to wed showed that 39 percent
were unhappy in their relationships, the highest proportion of nine
societies surveyed by a U.S.-based marriage and family therapy organisation.

The poll is the latest unflattering survey of ardour in a wealthy population that chases what is known in local parlance as the Five C's: career, condominium, club, credit cards and cars.

Birth rates hit a record low in 2004 and an annual survey by condom-maker Durex has ranked Singapore for three straight years near the bottom of its list of sexually active nations.

In the latest survey, only 14 percent of Singaporeans described themselves as "very happy" with their partners, the lowest of the regions surveyed and compared with 48 percent in the United States.

The polls were conducted as part of a U.S.-based programme known as
PREPARE (Premarital Personal and Relationship Evaluation) led by David
Olson, a retired University of Minnesota professor and author of several
books on family therapy.

Other regions surveyed were Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, Britain,
Canada, Germany and New Zealand. But Singapore's results stood out
sharply, said Olson.

"I'm surprised so many premarital Singaporean couples are not as
happy with their relationships but are still planning to get married," Olson
told Reuters after releasing the findings at a conference in Singapore.

Among those in the survey who consider themselves unhappy, most cited
disagreements with their partners on a number of issues, or said they
disliked their partners' personality or that there were problems communicating effectively.

In contrast, U.S. couples ready to tie the knot painted a far more
blissful picture with nearly half of 1,000 surveyed indicating they
were very happy in their relationships.

Olson said couples in Singapore -- an island of 4.2 million people --
may be suffering because of a reluctance to speak their minds about
problems to avoid confrontation.

"They are afraid to say what they think and are afraid to disagree,"
he said.

Posted by DSD at March 10, 2005 10:18 AM