Expectations of media lead to nice guys finishing last
By Mike Mallory
Rocket Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 4/8/05 Section: Opinion
Do you ever have one of those random moments when someone says or does something that really isn't supposed to have a great deal of significance, but after you evaluate the situation, you realize that the moment contains a more important lesson than you first thought?
The other day, this occurred to yours truly. My friend sent me a link on instant messenger. The site contained a very interesting story, one that basically gave three cheers for the nice guys that always finish last in their success rate with the females that they know, primarily at the college level.
This got me thinking about how true this really is with the majority of our student population. This problem is a virus, which some males just haven't been able to recover from. I know the type, because I can modestly say, I am one of them. These are the guys that are the shoulders to cry on every time a girl is suffering from boyfriend trouble, and the guys that pick up a drunken female friend at a party and then take care of her without taking advantage of the situation. Despite their noble gestures, they often never succeed on a dating level with the opposite sex.
There are several lines that girls always use that I've heard as well as experienced throughout my young adult life. Examples such as, "I wouldn't want to ruin our friendship," or "He would be a good boyfriend, but he's not my type," and finally, "He's too good for me." These phrases drive me crazy, but I could never find an answer. However, I do have a theory.
This age group has been motivated by the mass media. The MTV generation is in full force, complete with "The Real World" and all of its effects. There are also popular television shows such as "One Tree Hill" and "The OC" that captivate the female audiences of this demographic.
My point in referring to these particular shows is because I feel they are examples of dramas that play a moderate, if not large role, in a girl's perception of a guy. Let me tell you why. Throughout my young life, I've noticed that many girls consistently look to repeat what they see occur in a television relationship, something that normally includes a great deal of buildup and drama, with emotional highs and lows on a daily basis, and the constant search to find that one true special someone. They strive to be a walking soap opera without even realizing it.
The other day, this occurred to yours truly. My friend sent me a link on instant messenger. The site contained a very interesting story, one that basically gave three cheers for the nice guys that always finish last in their success rate with the females that they know, primarily at the college level.
This got me thinking about how true this really is with the majority of our student population. This problem is a virus, which some males just haven't been able to recover from. I know the type, because I can modestly say, I am one of them. These are the guys that are the shoulders to cry on every time a girl is suffering from boyfriend trouble, and the guys that pick up a drunken female friend at a party and then take care of her without taking advantage of the situation. Despite their noble gestures, they often never succeed on a dating level with the opposite sex.
There are several lines that girls always use that I've heard as well as experienced throughout my young adult life. Examples such as, "I wouldn't want to ruin our friendship," or "He would be a good boyfriend, but he's not my type," and finally, "He's too good for me." These phrases drive me crazy, but I could never find an answer. However, I do have a theory.
This age group has been motivated by the mass media. The MTV generation is in full force, complete with "The Real World" and all of its effects. There are also popular television shows such as "One Tree Hill" and "The OC" that captivate the female audiences of this demographic.
My point in referring to these particular shows is because I feel they are examples of dramas that play a moderate, if not large role, in a girl's perception of a guy. Let me tell you why. Throughout my young life, I've noticed that many girls consistently look to repeat what they see occur in a television relationship, something that normally includes a great deal of buildup and drama, with emotional highs and lows on a daily basis, and the constant search to find that one true special someone. They strive to be a walking soap opera without even realizing it.
