12 Commandments for the Pragmatic Romantic

The antithesis of the hopeless romantic archetype

In an era where dating complaints abound, I would like to propose the antithesis of the hopeless romantic archetype, which I call the “pragmatic romantic.” Pragmatic romanticism is grounded in reality and respects the sanctity of commitment but also appreciates the beauty of human connection.

While the hopeless romantic might idealize love, the pragmatic romantic doesn’t participate in the web of delusions sold by Hallmark greeting cards and Hollywood rom-coms. The hopeless romantic indulges in sweet nothings, but the pragmatic romantic focuses on being a person of their word.

The pragmatic romantic knows that anyone can make vows but few will follow through to help you weather the storm. The pragmatic romantic acknowledges that illness doesn’t keep regular hours and sometimes requires that you drop everything to look after a loved one. In The Art of Seduction, Robert Greene writes:

What will seduce a person is the effort we expend on their behalf, showing how much we care, how much they…