The Bachelor: Expectations For Love Essay -- reality TV, culture

What does the show, "The Bachelor", say about our expectations for love in our culture? The search for love is a dilemma most people are faced with at some point. Many different reality shows have been released over the years focusing on relationships. However the television show, The Bachelor, takes reality T.V. dating to the next level. Different from most dating reality T.V. shows, the participants on The Bachelor are looking for much more than just a relationship; the end goal is a proposal. The show revolves around a single bachelor who is essentially dating an entire group of woman, typically starting the first episode with around 25. As the show advances the bachelor eliminates women by not offering them a rose during the ceremony. All of the women that do receive a rose are invited to stay another week at the house while continuing to go on dates with the same man. Early in the season, the bachelor goes on large group dates with all of women at once but as the season progresses; the remaining women are also invited on one-on-one dates. The problem with this sh ow is that it depicts love in an illogical way. Because she is the last woman, the bachelor’s logic dictates that she must be the right woman for him. The women and the bachelor of the show are whisked away to romantic and tropical areas to live while dating each other. Aside from the fact that the man these women are dating also is dating 24 other women, the participants in this show are completely removed from actual reality. There is no strain or issues that they have to work through like the real world with honest relationships. In this paper I will explain the issues with The Bachelor and what affects it has on our culture. My research question is: What does... ... together. Just because a person feels passionate love does not mean it leads to companionate love. The Bachelor leads our culture to believe that simply by longing to be with someone means you are in love. If our culture continues to attempt to keep up with the definition of love according to The Bachelor then real love, companionate love, might fade out all together. Works Cited Mickel, E., & Hall, C. (2008). Choosing to Love: The Essentials of Loving (Presents and Problems). International journal of reality therapy, 27(2), 30-34. Kito, M. (2005). Self-Disclosure In Romantic Relationships And Friendships Among American And Japanese College Students. The Journal of Social Psychology, 145(2), 127-140. Sassler, S, F Addo, and D Lichter. "The Tempo of Sexual Activity and Later Relationship Quality." Journal of Marriage & Family 74.4 (2012): 708-725.