So how is spending countless days and hours talking to each other something other than dating?
Your question was too broad to answer as asked. Because it is the dominant cultural norm, most of us (in the US and other western nations at least) expect that if we marry at all we will be dating that person before marriage in some form. Dating isn't necessarily the problem, how we approach it and behave in our dating relationships is what causes the problem. Of course it also depends on exactly how you define dating. In my younger years I would eat a meal with a guy friend or go to a movie with him and not consider it a date (because I wasn't and had no intention of dating said guy). Someone else can easily look at that and say if you went to dinner or a movie with a single guy you were on a date (though people don't automatically jump to that conclusion when I do something with one of my single female friends).
I would say that it is less than ideal to marry someone without spending time getting to know them first: call it dating or courting or special friendship or whatever else you want; physical time together not required but recommended. And the corollary to that is that if you are doing those things, then you are probably in or desiring a relationship that most people would call dating. Oh and if you take a trip over to the family forum you'll realize pretty quickly that you can be lied to, cheated on, and hurt in a marriage too; it's not a dating thing.
Oh and arranged marriages still happen in many cultures around the world though usually not in as controlling of a way as they used to, but it certainly isn't just something that royals do.
Your question was too broad to answer as asked. Because it is the dominant cultural norm, most of us (in the US and other western nations at least) expect that if we marry at all we will be dating that person before marriage in some form. Dating isn't necessarily the problem, how we approach it and behave in our dating relationships is what causes the problem. Of course it also depends on exactly how you define dating. In my younger years I would eat a meal with a guy friend or go to a movie with him and not consider it a date (because I wasn't and had no intention of dating said guy). Someone else can easily look at that and say if you went to dinner or a movie with a single guy you were on a date (though people don't automatically jump to that conclusion when I do something with one of my single female friends).
I would say that it is less than ideal to marry someone without spending time getting to know them first: call it dating or courting or special friendship or whatever else you want; physical time together not required but recommended. And the corollary to that is that if you are doing those things, then you are probably in or desiring a relationship that most people would call dating. Oh and if you take a trip over to the family forum you'll realize pretty quickly that you can be lied to, cheated on, and hurt in a marriage too; it's not a dating thing.
Oh and arranged marriages still happen in many cultures around the world though usually not in as controlling of a way as they used to, but it certainly isn't just something that royals do.
For example, lets say you are a woman, you met a guy, you guys talked a lot over the days or years, none of you ever asked the other out. He meets you one day and proposes. If you liked him a lot, as if you would love him, Would you accept and marry him or would you tell him we need to date first? Is dating a requirement in your relationship prior/before marriage?
I could supposedly ask "do you date or never date people" but I am very sure just about everyone has with that being an extreme traditional that people often never even think about getting to know someone to marry them without dating because that is just the idea you get as a kid seeing adults and teenagers doing it and media always going crazy about having a bf or gf with the person you like and want to be with. A lot of people went blank when I mentioned I want to get married but I will never date because they cant see how you can marry without dating. but I have proven you can.