Psychology
fromPsychology Today
3 days agoThe Dating "Shopping List" Trap
Storytelling in marketing fosters emotional connections and engagement, making it more effective than listing features.
Baz Luhrmann reinvented Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet as a gangbanger love tragedy of the present day, with Mexico City standing in for an imaginary urban place called Verona Beach. The result was a terrific success, more of a success, I suspect, than Luhrmann ever had again; it was irreverent and questioning in just the right way, a sunburst of energy, but instinctively respectful to the story.
According to a 2025 poll by Rassmussen, 37% of single adults under 30 in the US report that they are "not interested" in dating at all. It appears that many young Americans have effectively given up on romance. This begs the question of why so many young people would forego one of the most basic physical, social, and emotional human needs: an intimate relationship with a loving partner.
The researchers think it is fine to tell you only about the time it took each participant to get out of the box. After all, it is a study of box-escaping skill. Often, there is a highly relevant context to the story that is not mentioned. In my hypothetical example, it looks like this: The single person is in the box on the left. The door is shut, and there are boulders in front of it. The top of the box is taped shut.
When I first heard of Heated Rivalry, I didn't think much about it. The words Canadian ice-hockey TV series slid into my brain and slipped right back out. But a week later, approximately everyone I'd ever met wanted to talk about it. People kept telling me that it was fun, sweet, and addicting. Most of all, they emphasized that it was really smutty. Every recommendation seemed to come with a warning to not watch with my parents.
The English language is a marvelous thing. In just the past few years, we've been treated to the invention of words or terms that have captured new technologies or given voice to how it feels to be alive in 2026: rage bait, rizz, slop, hard pants, nepo baby, brain rot. But occasionally, new phrases arise that describe something much older-perhaps even ancient-to which no one has given a name.
When people bemoan the state of the 21st Century rom-com, they usually haven't seen this gem starring Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine as college buddies who decide to be each other's dates for multiple weddings over the course of one summer. Sure, the ending is basically predetermined, but the execution is pure joy, with a snappy script and lead performances that make you wish these two actors had made five more movies like this.
Have you ever sat across from someone who you felt was challenging or having a funny reaction to you? These are emotional reactions that are probably not fully under conscious control. Otherwise, you would probably just be amused by other people's quirks and reactions and not "feel" any particular way about them. (And, no, I am not saying to ignore your serial killer vibes-if you get those, run away!)
The short answer is yes, unless you take fiction for what it is-fiction. When you long for something you don't have, it can lead to dissatisfaction with what you DO have. Romantic fiction has witty, heartfelt dialogue, buckets of romantic gestures, and protagonists who have a preternatural ability to read each other's minds. It's easy to forget it is not real. This can set up unrealistic expectations both conscious and unconscious.
After St. Barts, Brady told People: "You know what? I don't have much time for a personal life or much time for myself, but I love working, and I love my kids," effectively brushing off the rumors. However, that peace didn't last long as the two were spotted a few weeks later dancing and chatting at a Super Bowl after-party.
"Chalant" isn't really an official word. You won't find it listed in the thesaurus as the opposite of nonchalant-just like "theless" won't be listed as the antonym of nonetheless. Nonetheless, people have been using words like "chalant" and "chalance" on social media and dating apps to describe an approach to dating that's the opposite of the nonchalance that's been fostered by some traditional dating advice and recent common dating situations like, well, situationships.
Profound love is about the desire to live with a partner who can thrive in a mutual relationship. Sometimes, life wins out over love, and one partner may say, "I will always love you, but we cannot flourish together." Profound love isn't always synonymous with long-term love; some couples divorce despite deep affection. The heart of enduring love is the capacity to bring out the best in each other.
True love is not transactional. If we only love on the expectation of being loved back, then it is not love, it is bartering. Love is unconditional. I love you, and that is all and everything. You do not need to do anything. You do not need to reciprocate. You do not even need to know.
An explorationship is when you and someone else are exploring the possibility of a committed relationship. You've gone a little-or maybe a lot-beyond the just-going-out-on-dates-with-each-other phase. There may already be kissing and holding hands. There may already be couple-ish things that you do together. There may even be a little bedroom rodeo stuff or a lot of it. But you still aren't quite ready to call each other a significant other yet-even though the two of you are giving such a possibility significant consideration.
I really feel like the cultural norm around proposals is fundamentally silly and outdated. I wish more people would consider that women can propose too! It doesn't have to come from the male partner in heterosexual relationships. I asked my now-husband to marry me, and it was the best choice I've ever made. I think it's really interesting that this wasn't even mentioned in your advice-which goes to show how embedded this heteronormative idea about who gets to propose really is.
My daughter came home from school the other day, talking about having to go get Valentine's Day cards. Ugh, oh yeah ... that time of year again. I'll need to get my wife a card as well, I suppose. I know how that "I suppose" might sound, but it's not what you think. My wife actually thinks they're a waste of money. The card is more for the kids than anyone.