When we look for love, we have a tendency to compile the best and worst parts of our past relationships into a mental guidebook of sorts. A dissimilar sense of humour: no. A devastating smile: yes. An overprotective best friend: no. An addiction to terrible reality TV: yes.
We compose our online dating profiles with meticulous scrutiny, mentally fleshing out the undertones of every word as if we’re preparing for a one-in-a-thousand job interview. And then we get to the mother of all questions: “What are you looking for in a relationship?” Here, we faithfully write our checklist, a mosaic of highlights from our previous relationships. But is this the winning formula, or are we simply chasing a romantic illusion, destined for failure?
Whether we date online, blindfolded, on reality TV, enjoy a one-night stand,