Why is that, in a time and age where everything and everyone is connected to a wireless worldwide network, increasingly more people find themselves to be single – and not by their own choice? One would assume that, by throwing ourselves in the cauldron in which simmer the various Facebooks, Twitters, dating-xyz, Instagram, and so on, being single would be remembered as a ‘disease’ of the past.
The issue is that the 20th and 21st century have given us a bombarding idyllic and glamorous idea – yet false – of what it means to ‘find/have a romantic relationship’ (I sadly admit that I’m also a victim of such marketing campaign, for lack of better definition). No day goes by without my eyes resting over yet one more TV commercial of a loving and beautiful couple who are living a life made in heaven; or the magazine advert with a man who looks a hundred times better looking than what I could ever aspire to be; to a movie or TV show in which the main character (nerd or not nerd may he or she be) falls in love with someone (unsurprisingly, on the gorgeous side of the scale too), and the story ends with a tear-jerking ‘and they lived happily ever after’. Goodness, the Tinseltown machine even manages to make octogenarians appear hot/loving/amazing (not that I have a problem with it).
By having this picture-perfect image constantly slapped on my face, my senses assume that such is THE norm and, because of it, I might not notice the REAL norm, as it could be a man accidentally bumping into me while I’m rushing through the shop buying groceries for the evening, or one asking me directions on a busy street. And I would miss out on what could be a great love story.
It doesn’t stop there. Social media has now enslaved various generations of people: in it we share our precious moments and achievements; we enter into endless conversations with a person sitting right across us; we pose in front of a phone camera, take our best selfie (remember the Duckface expression, is essential for the good-looking appearance. Yes, this is sarcasm) and quickly post it everywhere in order to gain the oh-so-desired ‘likes’. But social media hasn’t made us more social – quite the opposite, instead. We have turned into remote little islands floating onto an ocean of nothingness, and we don’t realise it.
On the Net we can pretend to be anything we want, photoshop our faces to remove our blemishes and wrinkles, and show the world how gorgeous we are, post pictures of our muscles and toned bodies so there will be someone to lust after us… but it’s all a façade, a farce.
Countless websites and articles said it way too many times already, that we should really look past the appearances because they can be deceiving – and rather see into the soul of a person. Yes, sight is indeed the first sense that is involved when meeting a person who has the looks and grace of a top model, but can be shallow.
That said, there’s nothing wrong with being single, as long as you’re comfortable in your own skin. Do as you feel at ease with, and listen to no one – not even to this column.
Friends and acquaintances will profusely tell you – with conviction, “Don’t worry about being single. Single is the new black! You’re free, can do as you please and can go wherever you like without having to first touch base with a partner; there’s nothing better than being single!”
“But you’re in a relationship… why aren’t you single yourself?”
“Good lord, no! I can’t live a minute without being in a relationship, and am SO lucky I have a partner, it’s the best life ever!”
Baffling.
Cheers, and keep being fantastic!