Since when were arranged marriages a muslim thing?
It's cultural, your parents finding your spouse isn't anywhere in the quran or hadith. The prophet didnt have parents who were alive to do this, and he didnt have an arranged marriage.
Don't mix eastern/middle eastern culture with religion.
In islam you can not force marriage. (I'm not saying that arranged marriages are forced, but some are and thats what most assume they are)
Anyways, theres nothing wrong with arranged marriages, from what i've heard, your parent finds someone, you meet them, if you like them then it progresses, if not, then it doesnt. Kinda like tinder but instead your parents find the people rather than you. Parents will probably have a better character judgement than you anyways. Only really happens in asian/middle eastern families anyway.