May 15, 2008

economics naturalist: Relationships

Why does the "Nice guys finish last Axiom hold?

In College dating and relationships hold a lot of importance among students. For many people it is really their first chance to be out and away from a lot of parental super vision. It is their first chance for many to date whomever they wish without parental judgment.

The problem plaguing many, myself included at times. is that I am aften among many female friends who complain to me about those they date but do not consider me a dateable option. Assuming a desire to be self-improving I do not know what to make of females actions which seem to be self-harming.

My hypothesis is that in a sense it is self improving. before people can acheive rationality and a better grasp of how to improve welfare in dating, women need to "improve" themself in the sense that they need to prove to themselves as a "babysitter." They see a benefit of appearing as a good guy in such a relationship. It is greater than putting up with the cost of being with someone they cannot stand.

Beyond this, there is the assymetric information failure. They see someone they like and either irrationality or decption causes them to ignore or be "oblivious" to the faults. This is assymetric information because the guy has no intention of changing but puts forth the fallacy that he will.

1 comment:

Alan C. Earing said...

I don't understand your 2nd to last paragraph at all concerning "babysitters" and such...

BUT, I like the topic you've chosen to tackle!

Perhaps at the base of economic analysis, there is a normative framework that colours the "truth" a person thinks he/she is aware of.

This normative view may ignore faults, or misconstrue positives AS faults... both in themselves and in their dating options!

Incentives can lead people to change behaviors, but they won't lead people to actually change as people! Perhaps the urge to change someone, or change for someone, is a sign of unattraction.

If they were actually attrative, you wouldn't want to change them... or change for them... because you like them for who/how they ARE... and you should be accepted, if not liked, for how/who you ARE... RIGHT NOW!