BBC News published an article about how watching romantic comedies can spoil your love life. Apparently, the survey conducted by Heriot Watt University in Scotland showed that the films gave people unrealistic expectations (including, in the sack) and fans of such films often fail to communicate with their partners.
The whole article had some pretty interesting details about fate and destiny and stuff like that. It’s worth a read.
It’s funny we needed a study to show us that romantic comedies provide unrealistic images of romance. I would venture to guess that these movies also provide unrealistic images of comedy as well. After all, how many rapping grannies have you encountered at weddings?
Aside from romantic comedies, I can think about a few things that give unrealistic expectations about love, partnerships and bedroom stuff.
- Sitcoms – As alluded to in the headline, how realistic is it for an overweight common man to land a hot wife? Examples include “King of Queens,” “The Simpsons” and “According to Jim.” I guess the first example would be “The Honeymooners.”
- Adult films – Hypothetically speaking, this genre really doesn’t delve into romantic love, but there are unrealistic expectations about practically everything else.
- Musicals – I would like to spontaneously break into song while on a date, but I’m worried the commuters on the subway would give me dirty looks instead of joining in.
Can you think of other genres of films or media that offer unrealistic expectations about romance?
