The dating scene has gotten progressively worse with the increasing connectedness of the world as a whole (ironic, I know!), where the average female is now able to gain access to a far larger pool of potential romantic partners.
Why settle for a diploma graduate when you are receiving attention from degree holders?
Why would you agree to go on a date using public transport, when you can get driven around by a car owner instead?
Why date a 1.7m tall average-build man, when you can look up to a 1.85m tall muscular handsome man?
That’s the thing, it is ridiculous to not fish around and monkey-branch for better job opportunities, much like a potential offer from Janestreet/Blackrock and Google/Meta will always make you snub an offer even from Govtech. The same holds true for dating options, since a younger impressionable lady will quite literally be inundated with suitors.
By no means am I calling for some social reform, or that women should lower their dating expectations and agree to go out with any Tom, Dick or Harry. I, along with my closest peers, believe, and are all working on ourselves, so that we may become better individuals, developing holistically.
But I can see my own privilege/opportunities/background. Education, finances, health, appearances, family, occupation wise, we are all above-average and stand a reasonable chance in terms of securing a healthy relationship.
I am willing and able to improve, because I can.
Not everyone is willing to, or even able to.
I can see primary school batch mates jailed for crimes.
I can see secondary school batch mates bouncing around from one dead-end job to another.
I can see JC batch mates grappling with body image problems.
I can see army batch mates struggle with communicating.
I can see university batch mates mired in financial issues.
I can see internship batch mates develop health complications.
I can see my graduating class trapped in terrible jobs with low pay.
I can see colleagues manipulated in terrible familial relationships.
Notice how after you come to the end of the list, you naturally just think ‘I only want someone normal who made it through all of that. It is not too much to ask of, is it?’
This is considering that confounders such as car/house ownership, savings, investments, hobbies, etc are not even included.
As time goes on, the majority of men will have already been given up by the majority of women.
And at some point, these men will give up.
It is not unreasonable to want to date the best possible man.
I really have no idea how to solve this, since personally, I would probably struggle with settling down when there is almost always better candidates in your inbox.
It’s just unfortunate that the end result is huge amounts of unmatched individuals, both men and women. A large proportion of attached women will also feel like they settled for a backup option that is nowhere near their main choice, while a large proportion of attached men will feel trapped with an unsatisfiable partner.
I don’t think the politicians have a way to sort this out either.
It’s funny, especially with the current affairs playing out like that. HAHA