UNIT 1: FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIPS
My name‿ is Kevin. I used dating‿ applications for two years│ an(d) then‿ abandoned them,│ not because they fail to function│ but because they rewar(d) precisely those qualities that matterma-der least‿ in‿ a durable relationship.
An‿ application presents‿ a photograph,│ an‿ age,│ an‿ occupation‿ an(d) two sentences,│ and‿ invites‿ a judgement‿ it‿ is pleased to call compatibility. What‿ it‿ actually measures‿ is confidence‿ of‿ a fairly superficial variety,│ and‿ it penalises‿ anyone shy or willing to appear vulnerable,│ since vulnerability does not photograph well. My cousin,│ a quieter man than‿ I,│ drew almos(t) no interest‿ an(d) concluded│ that he was‿ unattractive,│ which was‿ a conclusion manufactured by a sorting mechanism rather than‿ observed‿ in the world.
I have come to believe that compatibility develops late‿ an(d) cannot be assessed‿ in correspondence. You cannot know│ whether you can reciprocate somebody's‿ affection│ until you have been bored together,│ quarrelled‿ about money an(d) paid‿ a bill‿ in silence. Were‿ I advising‿ a friend,│ I should say:│ proceed slowly,│ an(d) judge the person by how they behave│ when‿ exhausted. Chemistry is‿ an‿ excellen(t) prospec(t) for the firs(t) three months. A sustainable relationship‿ is built‿ upon something considerably more‿ ordinary,│ an(d) settling down‿ on the strength‿ of‿ an‿ exhilarating‿ October‿ is‿ a mistake that people commit with remarkable‿ enthusiasm.