Marriage is hard work
I think people of all nationalities have a very unrealistic view of marriage before they get into it (“How many Emirati marriages last under 1 year?”, Gulf News, November 21). It’s not all fairy tales, fancy weddings and good looks. The real test usually comes in the first few years. You never really know a person until you live with them and you’ve got to be prepared for reality. Spouses don’t always look like supermodels. Careers take up a lot of time and effort. Financial worries might arise, and children enter the picture. Maybe going in with a very realistic view might help, not to mention being prepared for compromise. If one only wants their way or the highway, then it is not going to work out. It is important never to compare one marriage with another.
From Ms Jayadevi Machaya Palekanda
UAE
Facebook comment
Think before you speak
It is really unfortunate that an educated and respected politician like Shashi Tharoor has acted poorly and insulted the newly crowned Miss World 2017, Manushi Chhillar, on Twitter (“Miss India Manushi Chhillar crowned Miss World 2017”, Gulf News, November 19). Although, like most politicians, he too regretted his comment and requested his detractors to ‘chill’ out. We feel such politicians should think twice before uttering such nonsense!
From Mr N. Mahadevan
India
Kill or eat in peace?
It’s an old debate – as old as Plato and Pythagoras. In ancient Greece, the mathematician Pythagoras advocated vegetarianism. In fact, it was commonly called the ‘Pythagorean diet’ till the term ‘vegetarian’ became popular in the 1800s. The philosopher Plato described a vegetarian diet as being ‘divinely ordained’. To eat or not to eat meat? This argument seems to have been raging for a while, with vegetarianism taking off more and more, in recent times. Those who support vegetarianism say that eating meat harms health, wastes resources, causes deforestation, and leaves a massive carbon footprint. Additionally, animal factories for mass production and consumption are often found to be inhumane. And it’s not like there aren’t enough non-animal food sources available. Opponents of a vegetarian diet say that meat consumption is necessary for a balanced diet and that agriculture and vegetable farming raises similar issues as meat production. Well, do we really need meat in our diet or is it just an excuse because it is an old habit?
From Mr Terry Wendell
London, UK
Times, they aren’t changing
Ten years ago, Amazon launched the Kindle (“100 libraries to supply books to Arab children”, Gulf News, November 21). Everybody said paperbacks were dying. No more libraries, no more browning, dog-eared books. People were launching blogs, and turning to self-publishing. No doubt, the publishing market has changed over the past decade, but I don’t think it has changed the way people read. Those who love to read still love to scour through shelves of bestsellers at the airport bookstore, or local library. The other day, I saw a pair of preteen siblings carry an entire hardbound Harry Potter collection to the counter – and they’re supposed to be an iPad-addicted, technology dependent generation! So perhaps, there’s hope for books still.
From Ms Sophie Vita
Sharjah
Hooked by a book
Technology is changing the way we live and while it might help certain habits, it is far from replacing the practice of reading. I enjoy reading and collecting books. My love for paperbacks has not diminished in the least. While reading on my phone or on a computer is easier, especially if I’m in the crowded Metro, reading a paperback is about more than just being able to feel the pages. I have a habit of writing notes on the margins of my books and highlighting the things I like, and I don’t get the satisfaction of doing that when I read digitally. Some things have a certain charm about them, and I feel books will never be replaced.
From Ms Alia Mathur
Dubai
Just filmmakers, not historians
Most people watch movies for the entertainment they provide and not to educate themselves on history (“‘Padmavati’ star Deepika Padukone will head to the UAE”, Gulf News, November 20). If we really want to educate ourselves, we should stick to reading history books and save our time and money. The director of the movie is out there to tell you a story the way he wants to or the way he has understood it. If you like it, watch it, if you don’t, then stay at home. Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone is only playing a character in the movie and targeting her is silly. India has certainly progressed as a nation, but sometimes, we get carried away by some people who try to misdirect us with their own political agendas.
From Mr Anup Hegde
Dubai
Editor’s note: Is there a news report that you feel strongly about? Something that has to be addressed in the community and requires resolution? Email us on readers@gulfnews.com. You can also post a comment on our Facebook page or tweet to us @GNReaders.
