The Troubling Economics of Modern Romance

China's dating discourse reveals a troubling arbitrage in the market for affection. While educated professionals wonder why their credentials don't translate to romantic success, emotional entrepreneurs are busy perfecting their craft—memorising celebrity gossip, studying fashion trends, and stockpiling small gifts like traders accumulating assets.

This isn't about looks or wealth, but about understanding romance as a numbers game rather than genuine connection. The "wide net" strategy treats potential partners as statistical probabilities, not people. Meanwhile, manipulation tactics—like praising someone's flaws as virtues—create artificial scarcity and dependency, the hallmarks of any successful con.

The phenomenon mirrors broader shifts in how relationships are commodified globally, from dating apps' swipe mechanics to influencer culture's performance of intimacy. As traditional courtship gives way to calculated charm offensives, society faces a choice: romance as genuine human connection or as another market to be gamed.