Media and Romantic Relationships
In today’s modern world, the media can influence people more than they realize. Television, movies, novels and magazines are saturated with messages and beliefs on romantic relationships. People nowadays look to movies and television for information about love. The very first message the media convey in the many romantic movies or shows that appear is that destiny plays a major role in romance (Holmes n.p.). This means that people are said to be meant for each other given predestined factors. Because of that, many people believe that their “soul mate” is out there and that they will meet them at the right time. Aside from that, many of these movies sent out a message saying that happiness in a relationship can be achieved when a person find his or her soul mate. This soul mate is someone who is in sync with them and that they are compatible in many ways. With that, many movies also now believe that technology can help someone find this soul mate (Kircher and Kircher n.p.).
These messages are all similar in the fact that the media makes people believe that there is someone out there that are perfect for them. That person will bring them happiness and are compatible with them in many ways. The use of social media and technology also helps people find people who are compatible with them and who are most likely their soul mate. This message applies to all gender orientation including people from the LGBT community. Because the media is more accepting now of same sex relationships, they want to give out messages that everyone can relate to. The difference of these messages could be based on how a viewer would digest it as for some may think that their soul mate could also be someone who complements them rather than someone who is just like them.
The downside of these messages is that it can affect people’s self-esteem as to being insecure of having an ideal relationship. Many people nowadays are quick to end their relationship when problems arise when they find out that their partner is not compatible with them just like in the movies (Gibson n.p.). Aside from that, the media portrays romantic relationships more desirable that what is actually experienced in reality. Many of these films will make people think that having someone who is completely compatible with another will make the relationship passionate and exciting all the time. However, in reality, marriage and long term relationships are not always exciting and passionate. With the message of existence of the perfect soul mate, many of these films portray the possibility of having a perfect relationship which can provide unrealistic expectations to one’s partner thus will lower the other’s self-esteem (Alleyne n.p.).
A friend of mine believes in destiny. She does not have a relationship as of the moment because she thinks that the perfect person is still to come to her life. She once told me in a conversation that she is waiting for someone who will meet her expectations and standards that is why she does not have a boyfriend today. The bad thing about this belief is that, the success of the relationship is being based on a person’s personality and not on the couple working together to make the relationship work. This is the reason why many young adults today have high standards and are quick to end their relationship when they find something undesirable about their partner. Many of the movies portray love as if it is something that is easy to achieve without any effort from both parties.
Works Cited
Alleyne, Richard. "Romantic Comedies Make Us 'unrealistic About Relationships', Claim Scientists." Telegraph.co.uk. N.p., 15 Dec. 2008. Web. 5 Mar. 2016.
Gibson, David. "Can You Believe It? How TV Portrays Love « For Your Marriage." For Your Marriage. N.p., 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 5 Mar. 2016.
Holmes, Bjarne M. "In Search Of My "One-And-Only": Romance-Related Media And Beliefs In Romantic Relationship Destiny." The Electronic Journal of Communication17.3 (2007): n. pag. Web. 5 Mar. 2016. <http://www.cios.org/EJCPUBLIC/017/3/01735.HTML>.
Kircher, Melissa, and Jake Kircher. "Does Media Distort Love?" RELEVANT Magazine. N.p., 12 Apr. 2011. Web. 5 Mar. 2016.
