New TV Show 'Married At First Sight' A Sign Of Things To Come For Relationships?

Everywhere you go these days people are glued to their phones. When you go out for dinner with friends they seem more interested in interacting with their phones than the people that are right there in front of them. I feel like we’ve forgotten to communicate in real life and instead depend upon connecting via technology.

Internet dating, the convenience factor

A great proportion of relationships are forming on the internet instead of in reality. This has become the norm and not the exception. The dating game seems to be about internet dating. This concept involves getting to know someone first in the virtual world, before deciding to meet them in reality. This has evolved into apps such as Tinder. Basing whether or not you want to find out about someone solely based on their photo. We’ve introduced convenience into every other aspect of our lives why should dating be any different?

Marriage At First Sight - the show

The official trailer for Channel 9's new TV show - Married At First Sight'

I was watching ‘Married At First Sight’, and it seems to have taken this concept to the next level. There have been mixed reactions to the concept of experts pairing up contestants for the show and marrying immediately then getting to know each other. Some scoff at the notion, however, I think in our busy lives this could become the new benchmark for the future of marriage or meeting people. Although people are calling this new show an 'experiment', I believe it is more of an 'idea'. The introduction of this idea, I believe, could shape people's thoughts and behaviors towards a new way of thinking.

‘Married At First Sight’ predicts couples will be compatible based on science and psychology. Experts explore the contestant’s meaningful values as opposed to their superficial criteria. This is essentially an arranged marriage with the added benefits of selecting someone scientifically compatible. With a third of all marriages ending in divorce, why not try something different?

The role of money in relationships

When it comes to settling down money is a factor, as there are tax breaks for couples, double incomes are needed to purchase property and to afford to live. We want convenience and to achieve these goals we may need to meet someone. Time is of the essence and most are not willing to play the waiting game. This leads to these marriages of convenience.

Will it work?

One thing I noticed watching the show yesterday were a lot of deep-seated ideologies creeping in from the contestants. Things like what they believed marriage should be like, their new in-laws, acceptance of their new partner at a deeper level and their change of lifestyle/living arrangements to accommodate their new partner. This illustrated to me that there is a lot more to any relationship than what you see at face value over the internet or on a show like this. By this I mean what you see at first is not necessarily what you get. Only through time and really getting to know a potential partner face-to-face will you truly understand them and the potential differences between you both.

A sign of things to come?

I feel TV reflects not only what’s going on in society but also as a predictor of things to come. Are we already entertaining convenience marriages or is it something we will accept in the not so distant future? Technological advances have lead us to expect things instantly perhaps the way forward is for immediate marriages.