Seeing Love & Other Drugs last night made me realize a few things: 1) The world would be a much better place if we heard
I Wanna Praise You more often 2) 1996 can only look good on Jake Gyllenhal 3) Relationships are far less dramatic in 2010, thanks to the evolution of technology. And it got me wondering, is that a good thing or not?
Although I personally loved the movie, the way the couple communicated seemed about as prehistoric as the Liz Phair song SuperNova playing in the background. From monologues where he called her answering machine, "just to hear her voice" to late night calls where they poured emotions into cumbersome phones that resembled something that
Zack Morris used to prank Mr.Belding, emotions in this film ran high. Fastforward to 2010 and unless you fell asleep and missed their 3:00am text messages, guys rarely call. And why would they wait in a bus station or airport for you to arrive back in your city when they could simply follow your check-in on Foursquare?
The fact that things have changed over the past 15 years isn't breaking news, but the effects that these changes have had on romantic relationship are just starting to reveal themselves. If you asked my mother she would say that she doesn't understand how girls today can accept dates made on texts or respond to guys that message them on "MyFace." The truth is that in modern times our preferred means of communciations -- texts, BBms and IMs -- give way to messages that are more likely to be funny and perverted than sweet and romantic. Take a scenario from one of my guy friends this pass weekend. When a cute girl he was dating G-Chatted him Friday and asked how he was going to celebrate T.G.I.F. He responded with..."well it starts with a V and ends with an A." She asked if he meant vodka and he typed: NO ;) Could you ever imagine a guy saying that to your face? They surely don't have the B.A.L.L.S.
Although I personally loved the movie, the way the couple communicated seemed about as prehistoric as the Liz Phair song SuperNova playing in the background. From monologues where he called her answering machine, "just to hear her voice" to late night calls where they poured emotions into cumbersome phones that resembled something that Zack Morris used to prank Mr.Belding, emotions in this film ran high. Fastforward to 2010 and unless you fell asleep and missed their 3:00am text messages, guys rarely call. And why would they wait in a bus station or airport for you to arrive back in your city when they could simply follow your check-in on Foursquare?
The fact that things have changed over the past 15 years isn't breaking news, but the effects that these changes have had on romantic relationship are just starting to reveal themselves. If you asked my mother she would say that she doesn't understand how girls today can accept dates made on texts or respond to guys that message them on "MyFace." The truth is that in modern times our preferred means of communciations -- texts, BBms and IMs -- give way to messages that are more likely to be funny and perverted than sweet and romantic. Take a scenario from one of my guy friends this pass weekend. When a cute girl he was dating G-Chatted him Friday and asked how he was going to celebrate T.G.I.F. He responded with..."well it starts with a V and ends with an A." She asked if he meant vodka and he typed: NO ;) Could you ever imagine a guy saying that to your face? They surely don't have the B.A.L.L.S.
So interesting....sometimes I can't help miss the 90's though. I recently found my letters from old boyfriends and they made me swoon in a way that an email never could.
ReplyDeleteI am still not sure technology is the end all be all, but sure has it's upsides:)
Thanks for the comment lovey, when I was moving a few years ago, I found a mix tape from a college BF titled "Falling" -- you cannot make this sh*t up! The low-tech 90s do have some benefits, in addition to Pearl jam. Love ya!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletei wanna praise you!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI miss the ninties more than anything to be honest. Feels like things were so much more simpler back then, maybe it was because I was so much younger!
ReplyDeleteJust commenting to say I love your blog! :)
Whirly girly -- thank you for reading and for your lovely compliment.
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point. Sometimes I wonder if we are idealizing the past when we think about the pre-technical world. There are also lots of minuses. Back then, for example, you sort of had to wait for a guy to call. Now if you grow impatient you can just check their Facebook newsfeed to see what they've been up to or post a hot picture of yourself to get a reaction and remind them what they are mising! ;)