Is Dowry really all that bad?

Alright, so let me start by saying I’m totally against dowry and the whole gift system that’s been passed down through generations. But here’s the thing that’s been on my mind lately, and I’d love to get some thoughts.

I’m 27 (M), been working for over 4 years, and earning around 35+ LPA. I’m looking to settle down within the next couple of years (or sooner if I meet someone great). So, like a regular person, I signed up for Jeevansathi, Shaadi.com, and the usual. Been swiping through profiles for the last 6-7 months, and man, the expectations some people have are just… wild.

I keep seeing profiles where someone’s earning is way lower, but they’re expecting their partner to have a crazy high income. Today, I came across one profile that made me think, is dowry really the bad part here?

So here’s the setup: let’s call her T. Her profile was made by her parents, and they’re looking for a guy between 26-28 years old with a salary of 50+ LPA. The funny part? T is earning somewhere around 4-7 LPA, and her family income is around 15-20 LPA. And they made it a point to say they’re against dowry—which, like, no one asked for. But with those huge expectations, it almost feels like dowry under a different name. (reverse-dowry)

Seeing profiles like this makes me wonder, am I not doing well enough? I mean, I’m 27, and honestly, I thought I was doing fine. But these expectations are something else.

Anyone else experienced this or feel the same way?