Can't Buy Me Love

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying."

Robert Herrick, 17th Century English Poet (1591-1674)

Like many things on the internet, I'm not exactly sure now how I stumbled upon it. I know I wasn't using StumbleUpon. But, somewhere between Google and an unsolicited eHarmony ad in the margins, I discovered SocialGrid and its somewhat complex "Soulmate Manifesto."

Not that I'm looking or anything. I'm sure I found my soulmate at a backyard barbeque in 1968. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. But, for anyone not yet so fortunate, I wondered if this left-brained approach to love could be useful.

Since I've always made my living in bizness, I was naturally drawn immediately to "Love Economics," which was defined in one, simple sentence: "...a new love theory to promote intelligent dating by explaining love using simple math equations." I rattled around in this section just long enough to multiply my gratitude for not being in the dating arena times my age in dog years, cubed by my shoe size. I solved for a familiar-looking number, somewhere in the region of 9,700,000,000,000.

It didn't take much more calculating to see that I was bored and dismayed by this analytical approach to matchmaking. But, I did take note of one prong of the Love Economics model that seemed to make a lot of sense. I probably know at least 20 people between the ages of 17 and 30 who should consider the implications surrounding "Opportunity Cost of Love."

Forsooth: "Opportunity cost is the net benefit from being in another relationship. Most people are not aware of this hidden cost. While you are in love, you could have been in love with someone who is much better for you. Also, the time, money, and energy that were invested in the relationship could have been spent in having more friends, finding your calling, or furthering your career."

Yes, that's cost I can believe in.