It’s natural to look back fondly on the past with nostalgia, and no one would blame you, especially during this current timeline in the US. But there’s no doubt that many things have changed regarding American culture, even from just a few decades ago. That said, Legally Blonde actress Reese Witherspoon points out that the dating scene among the younger generation has changed for the worse. And she believes it’s because they haven’t been watching rom-coms.
Specifically, Witherspoon blames the decline in the making of rom-coms for people not knowing proper social dynamics these days, especially when it comes to dating or asking people out. “It’s not just rom-com movies, but I also think of rom-com television shows. The television show that you watched when you were 11, 12 or 13, that made you imagine and visualize dating skills,” the Walk the Line star remarked on the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard.
Witherspoon then used Young Sheldon as a prime example of a rom-com that can teach children “about relationship and romantic dynamics.” The Big Little Lies alum believes that it’s shows like these and similar ones from the 90s that young people watched to learn how to date. And since rom-coms and the like aren’t as popular as they used to be, she feels like the “system” is failing, and fewer youth understand proper dating. While it’s hard to disagree with how things have changed regarding how people interact regarding romance, many online users criticize Witherspoon for putting old rom-coms on such a lofty pedestal.
One Reddit commenter was shocked, claiming that 80s and 90s rom-coms were packed with the “cringiest and creepiest” content that the audience had to “pass off” as romance. Thousands of others agreed, pointing out how those shows from yesteryear had portrayed “love” as obsession and infatuation. The dating space was full of stalking, lying, manipulation, and, oftentimes, very creepy and inappropriate behavior.
“It’s where we all learned to set completely unrealistic expectations for how our life would go and what a partner needs to bring to the table. It’s as bad as internet porn in that regard,” added one commenter. One individual spoke of how Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and Say Anything all revolve around stalking and other harmful behavior that would cultivate a harmful, if not abusive, relationship. “That’s not an acceptable social dynamic,” they conclude.
Many feel like the Sweet Home Alabama actress might be biased when it comes to how positively influential romantic comedies were. Plenty agree that it wasn’t the decline of rom-coms, sitcoms, or any related entertainment that “ruined dating.” It’s the massive shift in our relationship to technology, such as dating apps or the expectations people built from interactions online. Not to mention, people are ‘looking at screens’ on a much more regular basis than how social interaction was done in the 90s.
It’s hard to blame Witherspoon for her opinion, considering her background in acting. But saying that people need to watch more rom-coms like those from the past is more or less a poor resolution to fixing an issue in modern dating.
