By: Staff Contributer
It's funny, isn't it, how some things just grind your gears? One thing that really gets under my skin is the blatant double standard that exists in dating. It's like, a guy can smoke and drink without a second thought, but if a woman does the same, she's suddenly judged and labeled. And don't even get me started on dating history. A man can have a long list of past relationships, no problem. But a woman? She's expected to have a pristine, practically blank slate. It's ridiculous! I honestly think these double standards need to just disappear. Either apply the same rules to everyone, or get rid of them altogether. It’s the hypocrisy that bothers me most. Like when a guy who smokes a pack a day turns his nose up at a woman who smokes, saying he only dates non-smokers. Seriously? Personal preferences are fine, but come on, walk the walk, don't just talk the talk. It's that "do as I say, not as I do" mentality that's so frustrating.
Speaking of frustrating, I recently stumbled across some clips from a dating show – I think it was based on another one, but I haven't seen the original. Anyway, something about it just screamed "scripted" to me. I’d bet good money the marriages, if any, aren’t built to last. And the casting choices? Don't even get me started. Why was the guy specifically a diaspora with limited Amharic? And then, only a handful of the women spoke enough English to actually communicate with him. Communication is, like, the bedrock of any relationship, right? How can you build something meaningful if you can't even understand each other? It just seemed like a major oversight.
Plus, some of the "challenges" or segments just felt so… forced. Like those product placements – totally out of place when you're supposedly trying to find a life partner. And the boxing match with the female contestants? I was just baffled. That kind of thing is usually associated with the guys, you know, the whole "protective" image. Now, I'll admit, I only saw snippets on TikTok, so I might be missing some context. But the production value seemed pretty high, and it definitely got people talking. Though, from what I saw, a lot of people were upset about who got eliminated. I’d be curious to see a spin-off, like a "Bachelorette" version. That could be interesting.
I also saw some comments about the show deviating from cultural norms and how it might negatively influence younger generations. It’s funny, some people are so quick to jump on the "cultural values" bandwagon, putting on this show of being so traditional and proper in public, while their private lives might be a completely different story. Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is. The guy is looking for a wife, not a fling. As long as he's respectful and doesn't cross any lines with the women, I think it's fine. He's just trying to get to know them. Plus, the show seems to have opened up some doors for the contestants. I've seen them in ads and on podcasts, so it's not all bad.
On a slightly different note, I was recently watching an old show I used to love. The two leads had incredible chemistry, and like so many fans, I was convinced they were soulmates. It makes you think, though, about actors who are romantically involved on screen. Sometimes, those on-screen romances turn into real-life relationships, which is fascinating. But in this particular case, one of the actors was married during the show. It makes you wonder, what's it like for their spouse to watch them being so passionate with someone else, and then just go back to being a regular husband or wife off-screen? It's such a complex dynamic. It really blurs the line between acting and reality. I think marrying an actor or actress would require a lot of understanding and patience. You'd have to learn to either ignore those feelings or manage them somehow. And trust? That would be a huge issue, especially when it's hard to tell what's real and what's just a performance.