The Romantic Industrial Complex

cactus flower wrote:I heard someone on the radio today mention the Romantic Industrial Complex. Apparently this is Hallmark, the Disney Engagement Suite, mass booked Valentine dinners, overpriced scentless red roses and "Eternity" rings usw.

There is a guy in the States who runs a "how to propose" advice service. His example of how not to do it was the fella who asked his girlfriend around for a home-cooked dinner and spelled out MARRY ME in peas

The correct way seems to involve a long weekend in an exclusive boutique hotel and hire of an industrial-size rose petal blower.

Is this stuff really necessary and does it work? Is it just another ephemeral sign of the vacuousness of the boom?

Without the Romantic Industrial Complex, can a person capture the affections of the desired other ?

ibis wrote:There's a reasonable anecdotal correlation between the commercial romanticism of the proposal and the success of the resulting engagement/marriage. Most of the longest-married couples I've ever met knew each other well enough that marriage was a joint decision rather than a proposal as such.

cactus flower wrote:

ibis wrote:There's a reasonable anecdotal correlation between the commercial romanticism of the proposal and the success of the resulting engagement/marriage. Most of the longest-married couples I've ever met knew each other well enough that marriage was a joint decision rather than a proposal as such.

Were you proposed to Ibis ?

ibis wrote:

cactus flower wrote:

ibis wrote:There's a reasonable anecdotal correlation between the commercial romanticism of the proposal and the success of the resulting engagement/marriage. Most of the longest-married couples I've ever met knew each other well enough that marriage was a joint decision rather than a proposal as such.

Were you proposed to Ibis ?

No, I did the proposing...

ibis wrote:There's a reasonable anecdotal correlation between the commercial romanticism of the proposal and the success of the resulting engagement/marriage. Most of the longest-married couples I've ever met knew each other well enough that marriage was a joint decision rather than a proposal as such.

rockyracoon wrote:

ibis wrote:There's a reasonable anecdotal correlation between the commercial romanticism of the proposal and the success of the resulting engagement/marriage. Most of the longest-married couples I've ever met knew each other well enough that marriage was a joint decision rather than a proposal as such.

Bout one of the sanest sentences written on marriage that I've come across in a long time.

Oh no! I agree with Ibis on something. Strange times.

cactus flower wrote:I agreed with him once too: strange times indeed.

I'm not sure that I believe all this solid sanity. In general I've found that men are more inclined to romantic gestures than women, and are also more appreciative of them. A woman will be being hustled off for a mystery trip to Paris or the chipper and she will be saying "hang on, just let me check that I've turned off the drippy tap, or " I have to know where we're going so I know what to pack" or whatever. Men seem more able to just go with the flow and enjoy it.

Commercial romance is a big "service station bouquet" turn off usually, except that service station bouquets can be kind of cute provided that they don't mean you are expected to forgive multiple unfaithfulness because of them.

The peas would have had me at "MARRY...

Auditor #9 wrote:I'd even marry the guy with the peas.

johnfás wrote:I don't think you can blame the media or other sectors for exploiting people's idiocy. That is after all their job.

I have sympathy for young homeowners who were duped into buying homes on the basis of incorrect advise that if they didn't now they would never own a home. However, I have no sympathy for adults who are simply duped by the latest consumer trend.

I have an old fashioned box television, I am no less of a mortal than my neighbour who has a 42 inch lcd full hd flatscreen with matching surround sound. I do however have more money to spend on the finer things in life than them. It isn't Sonys fault that they decided to blow their money on depreciable expenditure which gives them no appreciable joy.

The fazz for sports cars, designer labels and questionable aftershave is nothing but the fault of the consumer. The people buying this are adults for goodness sake. I wonder how many people will go to this nonsense at the K Club in a week's time to massage their deluded sense of self grandeur. I got a pair of free tickets but aside from the fact it's during my exams I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. I can just imagine the botoxed blondes with their roof down and the familiar smell of CK1 prancing around as if they are footballer's wives.

/rant ends

Auditor #9 wrote:I'd even marry the guy with the peas.