Swipe Right for Satire
Hookup culture, the type of romance that broke its way into every generation since that one decade where bell bottoms weren’t vintage. The gradual but eventual success in adopting the title the ‘killer of the old fashioned type of love’ and a rising cause for development in the contraceptive realm. It could be said that hook up culture stole the love scene but with the opinions of the current generation, it’s better put as a disease that has finally infected the entire decade. Shockingly but unsurprisingly, gentlemen x gentlewomen x a bouquet of flowers is all that Gen Z is looking for. So is hookup culture having its last hoorah?
Hookup culture emerged from a wild blend of historical and cultural influences. The sexual revolution of the ’60s set the stage for sexual exploration without the shackles of commitment. Combine that with modern contraception methods and the digital dating revolution, and voila! The perfect recipe for a culture that thrives on the no-strings-attached experience. Motivations for diving headfirst into the seductive world of hookups vary from thrill-seeking and curiosity to keeping up with the Joneses or satisfying primal urges, whatever that means.
Despite the casualness of hookup culture nowadays and the lack of ambiguity when it comes to getting it down with a random on a night out—behind the unpretentious facade of hookup culture lie hidden complications. Emotional detachment, blurred lines between casual and intimate relationships, and the possibility of ending up with a cold, ouchie heart are genuine concerns. Critics argue that these casual escapades can leave individuals feeling unfulfilled, lonelier than usual, or even emotionally scarred. And let’s not forget the alarming increase in STIs and surprise pregnancies that come as souvenirs from these encounters. (Gentle reminder, safety first)
Now, brace yourself for a double whammy of gender inequality. While guys might receive a casual pat on the back for their conquests, women often face societal repercussions and get labelled faster than it takes the guy to finish. Talk about passive unfairness. To make matters worse, the pressure to live up to societal expectations of beauty and sexual prowess can turn anyone into a self-esteem baddie battling body image concerns.
There is also the matter of the rise of the swipe.
Ah, the swipe—a simple flick of the finger that holds the potential for both excitement and disappointment. In the realm of hookup culture, dating apps have become the hunting grounds for prospective partners. With profile pictures and witty bios, users navigate through a sea of potential mates like sailors on a treacherous voyage. It’s like window shopping for relationships, where we judge potential partners based on their choice of selfie filters and ability to write a non-cringe bio. For years of being underage with of-age friends (probably like two years, quite long) I had the humble experience of swiping my way through Tinder and Grindr for those of my precious companions who couldn’t bear to swipe any longer. Maybe it was the desperation tinted profiles that would pop up, maybe it was the gradual lowering of their bar to the point where they regretted their entire presence in the universe. Whatever it was, it was my job to decide who was sliding into my bestie this week. If I’m going to be honest, it wasn’t the best job ever, it could even be considered degrading to me (not kink shaming btw). Your entire sexual worth was defined by the progression of images in your profile lineup and the few sentences you could fit into your bio. No thanks xoxo.
Finally to address post matching syndrome. Where one matches with a complete stranger and the now determined process leading up to a make out sesh? Sex? And obviously, the aftermath of that encounter.
Behold the art of ghosting.
In the age of hookup culture, disappearing acts have become the ultimate magic trick. Ghosting, the act of suddenly ceasing all communication with someone you’ve been seeing, has reached legendary status. It’s the modern-day equivalent of vanishing into thin air, leaving the other person bewildered and wondering if they’ve stumbled upon a parallel universe where courtesy and basic human decency no longer exist. Who needs closure when you can simply unexist yourself?
Casual encounters
The awkward dance between two strangers who have decided to throw caution to the wind and engage in a night of passion. From fumbling attempts at removing clothing to ill-timed bursts of laughter, the comedic potential of these encounters knows no bounds. It’s like a slapstick routine performed by two people desperately trying to find pleasure while simultaneously avoiding eye contact. If only life had a laugh track to accompany these moments of unadulterated hilarity.
And finally, the Chronicles of the Morning After.
As the sun rises on the aftermath of a hookup, the comedies of errors continue. Awkward small talk, misplaced belongings, and desperate searches for a quick exit—these are the hallmarks of the morning after. It’s a battlefield of misplaced socks, hair tangles, and regretful glances. But amidst the chaos, there’s room for laughter. After all, what better way to cope with the messiness of life than by embracing its absurdity?
Now for a societal earthquake of extreme proportions, hookup culture has the potential to shift the very foundations of commitment and traditional relationships. With casual encounters becoming the norm, long-term commitments and emotional intimacy might be left collecting dust on the relationship clearance rack. Are we witnessing the decline of happily-ever-afters? Only time will tell.
But hey, education and consent seem to moralise this narrative. Empowering individuals with comprehension regarding sexual health, communication, and consent. Let’s create a world where people can embrace their desires while also ensuring emotional and physical well-being.
I’d say easier said than done with a high rise in sneaky links and a steady decline in devoted relationships. And this generation seems to be growing a longing for the window serenades type beat and 2am conversation on existentialism clearly leading to the romantic character arc. The movie type of love, the 50 first dates, the 10 things I hate about you. All in all, that brings us to the atypical climax in the rising statistics regarding romance in the entertainment industry. As a fellow Colleen Hoover hater, (she commits crimes with those books I swear to god), it is still a fact that her collections of romance novels grow more and more popular among young women. The teenage romance movies that are steadily released have an audience of their own as well. It can be evidently noted that women are escapees of this world to another and their dire longing for that picturesque romance drags them through hopeless romantic fiction and implications of romantic possibility in the real world.
So to hook up culture we say let it die, let it die, let it shrivel up and die. And make way for the awaited era of real love. Or at least that’s what the majority of Gen Z want to say.