I have a rather subjective and irrational opinion about this topic, but so are most opinions when it comes to human relationships. I'm from a working class family, and grew up in an European culture that has somewhat particular views on romance. I've lived in San Francisco for about 5 years now, dating my fair share of people similar to the ones described in the article; including a relationship that lasted a bit over 3 years and ended last spring.
Those kinds of people (typically upper middle class Americans born in the 1980s or later) are so in love with themselves that they just have no room for falling in love with anyone else. It's easier to waste time on Tinder while obsessing about the best place to go for overpriced brunch and then cry about it to your therapist while your friends tell you that "omg you're the best in the world, of course you shouldn't settle for anything", than to pursue deeper, more meaningful interests and relationships.
My very unscientific and cynical view of that is that modern consumerist American culture is reaching the paroxysm of fuckery, encouraging everyone to treat their relationships and fellow humans as fungible goods that should be swapped out for this year's new, better, shinier model. My solution has just been to just not waste my time with people whose life tends to exhibit the patterns described in the article.
If you too belong to the higher upper middle class but can't stand that kind of crap, go volunteer and meet people from outside of your social strata. I've been dating someone from a very different, non western culture for the past month or two, whose struggles include more than just what they're going to post on their blog next, and it's a breath of fresh air in comparison.
YMMV.
Those kinds of people (typically upper middle class Americans born in the 1980s or later) are so in love with themselves that they just have no room for falling in love with anyone else. It's easier to waste time on Tinder while obsessing about the best place to go for overpriced brunch and then cry about it to your therapist while your friends tell you that "omg you're the best in the world, of course you shouldn't settle for anything", than to pursue deeper, more meaningful interests and relationships.
My very unscientific and cynical view of that is that modern consumerist American culture is reaching the paroxysm of fuckery, encouraging everyone to treat their relationships and fellow humans as fungible goods that should be swapped out for this year's new, better, shinier model. My solution has just been to just not waste my time with people whose life tends to exhibit the patterns described in the article.
If you too belong to the higher upper middle class but can't stand that kind of crap, go volunteer and meet people from outside of your social strata. I've been dating someone from a very different, non western culture for the past month or two, whose struggles include more than just what they're going to post on their blog next, and it's a breath of fresh air in comparison.
YMMV.