Marriage not a filial duty

The core message conveyed in the advertisements of a well-known domestic dating website - that "one fails his or her family by not being married"- has touched the sore spot of many single netizens who have been pushed to get married during the Spring Festival and other holidays and it is no surprise to see it widely criticized, says an article in Beijing News. Excerpts:

It is beyond all doubt that love and family affection are pure and beautiful and resonate with people. It is because of this that they are frequently depicted in advertising. This dating website has also tried to raise its profile through using such an emotive line in its advertisements. But although it has achieved its goal of wide publicity, this has mostly taken the form of criticism, even condemnation.

As some netizens have commented, the dating website while trying to be sensational, should also take into consideration people's feelings. In order to persuade potential consumers to buy its dating services, the website has played the card of "family love and expectations" too hard by simplifying the purpose of marriage as being for the family, as if remaining single means not being filial. It is nothing but the moral kidnapping of single people.

In reality, parents' excessive concern about the single status of their children has even forced some to marry in haste, and it has been creating cross-generation quarrels and even tragedies in families. When facing such a phenomenon, the public should be aware that the freedom of every individual about their own marriage should be respected and never tied up with filial piety. The frequent appearance of the dating website's advertisement has given many parents the perfect opportunity to exert huge pressure on their unwed children during the Chinese New Year.

By collectively boycotting the dating website, netizens are undoubtedly harming the website's image. Under these circumstances, the website, instead of trying to take advantage of the publicity, would be wiser apologizing to the public and learning the lessons necessary to rehabilitate its sullied name.