Wait, isn't there still a huge industry of self-help books focused on relationships and romance?

Sure, for women. But to tell a man to be selective when searching for a female partner, and to give him criteria and heuristics to help him select are labeled as sexist. After all, every woman has worth, a woman can never be told that she has to do any self reflection to find a quality man, we can't be allowed to admit that some women are undesirable just like some men are.

Yikes, it sounds like you have something you need to work on.

Like what?

Not creating weird misogynistic strawmen would be a cool start

Oh I see, you don't have a point. Got it.

No I said it. Not really my problem if you can’t read that, since it was honestly pretty obvious. And the other reply to your comment laid out basically the same criticism.

I'm not seeing a criticism here, not even a "you're wrong", just snide allusions that I should know something you know but I don't and so there's something wrong with me.

And there very well may be, which is why I'm giving you an opportunity to help me correct my misunderstanding and asking for exactly what I said that you think is incorrect.

Are you serious? Do you seriously believe what you wrote? Why do you think that? What’s the source of your discontent?

What in particular do you have an issue with? I'd be happy to discuss our particular disagreements on this topic.

I happen to be very content actually. My wife agrees with me wholeheartedly on everything I said here, and we are both very happy with one another.

No no, you'll just see someone and realize through sight alone they are your _true love_. Fate will have happened.

Or you'll hookup with someone and then through a rom com series of mishaps end up falling in love accidentally!

Remember, you can't choose to love someone. You are a powerless pawn. You need fate or the stars or an accident to fall in love.

I'm being grumpy but we've developed a weird cultural learned helplessness when it comes to relationships. We're so afraid to be seen as judging other people most folks can't even seem to directly take action.

Because picking a good marriage partner is ableist. That's why it's controversial.

For example, people prefer good looking people as marriage partners. That makes people who are not good looking sad. And you can imagine for other traits like income, age, height, social status.

I'm going to assume that you believe that there is only one standard for "good looking people" and that everyone conforms to it?

What "good looking" means might vary somewhat from person to person, but it's not completely subjective. Some people look better than others, which makes them more desirable partners in general.

I beg to differ, but this isn't a hill I care about dying on, so I'll leave it at that.

What a time to be able to read.

They were clearly joking. I think.