OKAY, so it is Cupid's month hence I'm going to write about 'love'. I couldn't help but have this endless fit of giggles when I came across a friend's status on ubiquitous Facebook that had reference to "Bilimokonun" girls -- gold diggers, to put it bluntly. I had to re-read the word to really comprehend what it stood for. I thought it was just another "beki" jargon that constantly evolves but it simply meant "bili mo ako ng ganun." I found the ingenuity of coining the word hilarious but the reality which the term suggests is far from laughable.
Since when did love ever equate with money? Loving money has always been a subject of dispute among moralists and pragmatic people. Sadly however, much as we want to be upright about our morals and beliefs, there's this humane desire to be satisfied with a lot of things, and more often than not, money has the ability to quench these material and even immaterial yearnings.
I don't claim that I'm speaking on behalf of the entire generation in which I belong in. But observably, the dating game nowadays reflects such circumstances. Whatever happened to winning someone's nod the hard way, and giving your heart away without it being bought, literally. The dating setting nowadays have reduced the perspective of males about the opposite sex wherein females are viewed lesser in romantic terms and more in economic terms, consciously or unconsciously. Rare do you find a guy who does things the classic way to worm your heart. While on the other hand, you'll have more chances of meeting the guy who's ready to lavish you with pricey things for hopes of winning your affection.
Hypocrisy aside, we have the tendency to bask in the indulgence being offered to us. Like how my friend terms it, there's the emergence of "bilimokonun" girls, spoiled females whose devotion towards their guys are measured basing on the size of their partners' wallets. Love is said to be complex and when you add money to the equation, then inevitably it gets even more complicated. One has to start questioning about the grounds of this love, if it should even be called love in the first place.
Courtship and dating should not be grounded on economics. Call me a classic romantic or even old-fashioned when I say that it would be a lot nicer if calling on a girl was like those painted in Jane Austen novels-porch dates, walks in the park, and the kind where the guy doesn't have to open up his wallet in order for a date to be quality time spent with each other. I'd be a hypocrite if I say that a little gift every now and then is bad. Small tokens that signify affection and care are appreciated as well, but frequently spending for someone to gain her much-sought favor is an entirely different thing.
For relationships to work, both parties need to invest. But this should not include investments in monetary terms as much as possible. Devote on time, trust and emotions, on building that romantic bond stronger, and on becoming not just lovers but best friends as well.
True, someone with a wry sense of humor said that it's more comforting to cry inside a BMW than inside a tricycle (so that would give us second thoughts about whose owner we'd go out with.) Money can indeed provide a little happiness, but doubtless never the bliss we get from true love. Many people would claim that they would choose love over money, that they'd rather have a true soul mate than a private jet. (But then again, no one said you can't have both. Haha!)
But seriously, here's a piece of unsolicited advice to guys out there. Whether you have a high-maintenance girl or the opposite, I'm certain there's always that side of a woman that appreciates cash-free efforts which can show she means the world to you. Be the man and take charge. Surprise your girl this Hearts' Month with something not heavy on the wallet, or better yet, something that doesn't need to be bought. Trust me, it'll be more fulfilling, not just for your girl but on your end as well.
I don't claim that I'm speaking on behalf of the entire generation in which I belong in. But observably, the dating game nowadays reflects such circumstances. Whatever happened to winning someone's nod the hard way, and giving your heart away without it being bought, literally. The dating setting nowadays have reduced the perspective of males about the opposite sex wherein females are viewed lesser in romantic terms and more in economic terms, consciously or unconsciously. Rare do you find a guy who does things the classic way to worm your heart. While on the other hand, you'll have more chances of meeting the guy who's ready to lavish you with pricey things for hopes of winning your affection.
Hypocrisy aside, we have the tendency to bask in the indulgence being offered to us. Like how my friend terms it, there's the emergence of "bilimokonun" girls, spoiled females whose devotion towards their guys are measured basing on the size of their partners' wallets. Love is said to be complex and when you add money to the equation, then inevitably it gets even more complicated. One has to start questioning about the grounds of this love, if it should even be called love in the first place.
Courtship and dating should not be grounded on economics. Call me a classic romantic or even old-fashioned when I say that it would be a lot nicer if calling on a girl was like those painted in Jane Austen novels-porch dates, walks in the park, and the kind where the guy doesn't have to open up his wallet in order for a date to be quality time spent with each other. I'd be a hypocrite if I say that a little gift every now and then is bad. Small tokens that signify affection and care are appreciated as well, but frequently spending for someone to gain her much-sought favor is an entirely different thing.
For relationships to work, both parties need to invest. But this should not include investments in monetary terms as much as possible. Devote on time, trust and emotions, on building that romantic bond stronger, and on becoming not just lovers but best friends as well.
True, someone with a wry sense of humor said that it's more comforting to cry inside a BMW than inside a tricycle (so that would give us second thoughts about whose owner we'd go out with.) Money can indeed provide a little happiness, but doubtless never the bliss we get from true love. Many people would claim that they would choose love over money, that they'd rather have a true soul mate than a private jet. (But then again, no one said you can't have both. Haha!)
But seriously, here's a piece of unsolicited advice to guys out there. Whether you have a high-maintenance girl or the opposite, I'm certain there's always that side of a woman that appreciates cash-free efforts which can show she means the world to you. Be the man and take charge. Surprise your girl this Hearts' Month with something not heavy on the wallet, or better yet, something that doesn't need to be bought. Trust me, it'll be more fulfilling, not just for your girl but on your end as well.