The hook-up culture. Disposable emotions and relationships. Empty satisfaction.
Each of these, among many others, belong to a growing list of “side effects" to practically worshiping shows, such as The Bachelor/Bachelorette, or applications, such as Tinder. The common denominator between scandalous television series and dating application is the presence of the continuous desensitization of human emotion and the importance of authentic relations. Shows that are remarkably similar to franchises such as the Bachelor promote the necessity of a strong physical attraction to multiple individuals at once, which can completely desensitize one's capacity to act on genuine emotion. For me, this was evident during the first portion of the final rose ceremony episode, specifically when Hannah eliminates one of her potential fiances, Peter, just days following their intimate date in the fantasy suite, stating that her heart was traveling along a different path. While many may praise the bachelorette for staying true to herself and listening to the desires of her heart, I struggle to understand the idea of sharing such intimate moments with someone, just to dump them the next day because you came across something or someone better.
This behavior is similarly shared on many dating apps, or more commonly referred to as "hook-up apps". Most individuals who engage on such platforms do not always have the most genuine intentions, and will often neglect to acknowledge the presence of another person on the other side of the screen. So many become immune to face-to-face relationships, viewing and evaluating relationships based purely off of physical appeal and temporary satisfaction. Due to the increasing accessibility to the Internet, many users are beginning to adopt a carefree mentality to seeking relationships. This means that an individual believes that because they have control of their desired interests, they do not need to focus their attention on the other party, but solely on their own feelings. This same freedom is also mirrored in the Bachelor franchises, more specifically when contestants are encouraged to dive into each of their private relationships, often using bragging tones.
In a society that is already so greatly influenced by individuals on various social media platforms, television producers should take into consideration that they portray the appeal to purely physical relationships, as well as having complete control over their dating lives, which often leads to the neglect of other emotions.
