Did you catch the ABC Network’s new dating reality show? Dating in the Dark. Three men. Three women. A dark room where no one can see anyone else.
They talk in the dark. Touch in the dark. Laugh and even make out in the dark. Back in the light, in their female-only and male-only groups, they talk about their experiences. They sniff each others’ clothes. A sketch artist even draws a picture based upon what they THINK the person they are “attracted” to looks like.
Relationship experts “pick” who each person should be with based upon personality, compatibility, and other aspects that make for successful mating. Remarkably, the three guys and three gals chose those matches in the dark anyway. Everyone gets along… really, really well. There are chemistry and much talk, giggling, and anticipation about what their match looks like.
Toward the end of the show comes the truth. Each “couple” gets in the darkroom and very slowly, the light turns up to reveal the male to the female, just for a few seconds. The light turns back down. Then the light over the female turns up for a few seconds revealing her to the guy.
So, how does this end? Well, there are now three “couples.” But now that they have seen each other, they get to decide if they want to continue seeing each other or walk away.
First, one guy goes to the balcony of the house and waits to see if the woman he has connected with comes out. If she does, they have whisked away in a silver Bentley. If not, she packs her bags and walks away from the house. Carless. Down a steep heel with her suitcase, wearing high heels no less.
The first couple continued by choosing each other after the lights had been turned up. Another guy goes out onto the balcony and waits. And waits. And waits. His lady never shows. Instead, he sees her and her suitcase exit the front door.
Why?
Because no matter how much they hit it off in the dark. No matter how much she enjoyed kissing him, smelling him… she just couldn’t get over the fact that he didn’t fit the mental image of the man she wants in her head.
Happily, the third couple worked out. Why? She wasn’t his ideal great looking woman. She even stated that she had never been out with as good looking a man as he. Yet, they chose each other. He chose her because she “got” him and she embodied all the qualities he had missed growing up. They fit each others’ needs.
So, the guy who was left behind? He could not believe that after having such a perfect connection between them, she dumped him based upon his looks.
The question is this: Just how important are looks? If all other things are there: chemistry, compatibility, compassion, understanding, fun…would you reject someone because they did not match up with a “picture” in your head of what you want looks-wise?
- Was this woman shallow?
- Did she do the right thing? Keep in mind she was into this she saw him in the light.
- How close have you come to fall in love but just could not get over some physical aspect of another person?
- Should looks be as equally important as other things?
- How would you rank in order the top 5 things you need to have to make a relationship a “go”? Where would you rank looks?
