Hi everyone,
Everybody knows that we in the modern world have an unideal relationship with romance. But has it ever been different? Dating apps, pornography, and the “manosphere”—among other joys—have surely contributed towards disaster in this regard. But do they represent a fundamental shift in our attitude to romance? Or just the latest examples of a time-tested truth: love is simply hard to get right?
Why don’t we write letters anymore? Why do we speak of dating in economic terms, such as “market” and “high-value”? Is romance even a rational priority in the first place?
I’m joined today by Sheehan Quirke—The Cultural Tutor—to discuss these questions. A writer on history, art, and architecture with millions of followers, he is also the author of the forthcoming The Cultural Tutor: Forty-Nine Lessons You Wish You’d Learned at School, which is currently available for preorder.
I look forward, as always, to your early feedback!
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Is Romance Dead?
07:13 – Why Don’t We Write Letters Anymore?
11:43 – The “Dating Market”
17:33 – The Destructive Effect of Convenience
24:14 – Why is the “Manosphere” Popular?
26:16 – The Greatest Writers on Love
36:17 – Has Porn Ruined Love?
45:28 – Is Love Worth Fighting For?
01:01:13 – Love in Philosophy
01:06:03 – Love in the “Modern World”
