Arthur C. Brooks argues that Hollywood and country songs romanticize doomed relationships, leading people to chase unsuitable partners for dramatic passion that never lasts. He advocates for functional partnerships built on shared values and friendship instead, which offer real passion and stability over a lifetime.
Stop romanticizing doomed love. Hollywood doesn't care about you. Hollywood wants to sell tickets. Stories about people that in real life would never work out. And if they worked out for 2 weeks, they certainly wouldn't for 2 years, or let alone 20. And we need to stop romanticizing star-crossed lovers all the time. And again, this is not just Hollywood. This is the oldest trope in country and Western songs and even romantic poetry. What you deserve is a person who's right for you. A relationship that's functional, that gets better over time. It doesn't mean it doesn't have problems. It doesn't mean you're the same. You're gonna have lots and lots and lots of fights, but you're looking for the person with whom you can have a deep values compatibility and a deep kind of friendship, a companionate love with plenty of passion that will last you to the end of your days. And you're not going to get that if you keep dating the wrong person over and over again.
