I tried, really hard, to keep my opinions about the Bachelor franchise to myself. So many of my friends enjoy it, that it seemed like I was taking the whole thing too seriously.
Never mind the fact that I can't comprehend a world that finds getting a mate in front of a television camera whilst dating 20 people at once an adequate homage to the sanctity of marriage, but two men or two women who have been in committed relationships for years cannot get married at all.
Let's put that aside for a minute, and instead talk about something we can definitely all agree with (I hope) - the odds of finding a lasting, happy, adult relationship are slim to none if you don't enter the process with the right mindset. Marriage is not a game show. It's not a ratings bonanza. And anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is either a pimp or an ABC producer.
Or, well, a CW33 producer, apparently. Ever hear of "Project Husband?" It's new. Lisa has the venue. Now she needs the husband.
What?
Aside from being a shameless gimmick to get ratings and let some Dallas-area woman pose in a tank top and have her dating life filmed, it's offensive.
For one, why not a man? Why do we have to have a woman be the desperate one with a timeline?
And two, relationships leading to marriage need the chance to grow organically - not according to a pre-determined timeline. Some people meet, fall in love, and become certain of the status and health of their relationship quickly. Some take a little longer to be sure. But setting a specific deadline for finding a mate seems like you are dooming yourself to settling.
There are so many things that can make it hard to stay married. The economy. The rigors of childrearing. Sickness.
Why in the Sam Hill would you add, "I had to marry him or lose my deposit" to the mix?
But the Bachelor franchise - and this outing by CW33 - wouldn't happen if there weren't viewers. Sure, you may think it's entertainment, but is it also an indicator as to why the rate for divorce is so high in this country?
We just flat out do not value the sanctity of marriage. And if we don't, what was that argument, again, against gay marriage?
