Casual relationships on social media

Following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Questioner: With the youth today we see a lot of movement into casual relationships. There are multiple apps which just help you with ‘hook-ups’ and very casual flings in that sense, so an increase in this trend of casual relationships. Is this something which is helpful for the youth today? Or is it something that we should simply avoid?

Acharya Prashant: It depends on where you’re coming from.

If you’re coming from a place where life proceeds in an arranged way — it’s well arranged — the kind of school and college you would go to, it’s well arranged - the shop that you would sit in once you’re out of college, and your marriage obviously too is well arranged then I would say, “Even this trend of putting your profile and account on tinder this is something for the better.” At least in some way, even if in a perverse way you’re gaining some freedom from the very straight jacketed enclosures of life. It’s alright.

On the other hand, if you’re someone who has been enjoying the fruits of a liberal environment and then the mischief within you sends you to one of these apps and you just want to have some cheap thrills then obviously it’s not doing you any good.