Well, Ash bro, I feel I haven't exactly understood what you're trying to say. The conversation was probably on a different tangent than this. But a few clarifications:
First of all, the GIF didn't mean anything malicious. It was in a sarcastic manner that 12 year olds are in "relationships" that we encounter usually in adulthood. I genuinely mocked them for their antics, which unfortunately they don't understand due to their limited experiences and maturity. I didn't mean to make anyone uncomfortable. I apologise if it did so. Also, I am not enamoured by such behaviour getting prevalent in our or upcoming generations. I am also not an advocate of simultaneous multiple relationships or polygamy.
I appreciate your parents' relationship sustaining the tides of time. However, I do believe in divorces and remarriages because it's not easy to sustain a marriage where there's physical or mental abuse, cheating or lack of trust and compatibility. I have seen broken marriages because the couple didn't know what they wanted in life but got married due to familial pressures. That's also a reality and I don't find anything wrong in breaking a hollow relationship like that or moving on because everyone deserves marital happiness if they wish to have it. I don't believe the sanctity of a marriage is above human dignity. As one of my favourite she'r goes:
Badi behisaab hoti hai mohabbat,
Magar itna sa hisaab apne wajood ka bhi rehne de,
Ki jab kabhi dekhoon aaine mein khud ko,
Main main hi rahoon, aur tu tu hi rahe.
(Meaning: Love is very boundless/immeasurable,
But let at least this much awareness of your own being remain,
So that whenever I look at myself in the mirror,
I remain myself, and you remain yourself.)
As for Western influences, although it has definitely corroded our traditional outlook, I also believe it has brought a scientific temper to our believe it or not, conservative society. We have become more rational, logical and free-thinking instead of narrow prejudices and restrictions. Scientific and humanistic education has made us more perceptive towards the struggles in the society. I think it is instrumental in the erasure of discriminatory lines like caste, class, gender and religion although, there are miles to go before we even make a slightly good difference. So I don't believe Western culture completely wrong. The problem is when we start imitating the worst and evil aspects of it, which unfortunately is the reason for corrupting the youth's mind today. Instead of exposing our younger generations to the best aspects of Western society, we have introduced them to the most immoral ones.
People have trends in every generation and this is another one of ours. It's directly a product of what we were exposed to. I am not a fan or admirer of what's happening right now at all, be it situationships or friends with benefits. But probably that's my personal preference and I won't judge and discriminate other people because of their relationship choices. I hope you haven't misunderstood my context.
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