There seems to be a stigma that the dating pool is full of slim pickings these days, due to the childish nature of millennial men. I mostly disagree with this. I think women would have a lot easier time dating if they stop expecting men to be like Robert Redford, especially considering no girl that I know is a regular Elizabeth Taylor.
One beef I do have with guys these days, however, is that so few of them have the motivation to pick up a book, any book, and read it. I can’t tell you how many guys I know who choose to spend their free time playing video games and geeking out over Entourage. While I occasionally indulge in shitty reality TV and follow some HBO series like it’s my job, I can’t help but wonder what happened to good ole’ fashioned reading. Are we so busy that we can’t find time to replace magazines with novels? Or are we just a product of our time, so immersed in today’s flashy gadgets that we can no longer be entertained by words on a piece of paper?
Whatever the case, it’s a sad fact that not very many guys indulge in books anymore. So if you find one that does, you should hold on tight. Here’s why.
He’s imaginative.
When you think about it, reading is pretty much just staring at sentences and hallucinating vividly, which is pretty awesome. If you find someone who can be entertained by the characters he can only see in his head, you have to figure he’s a pretty creative dude. His mind is a resource, and that’s hot.
He’s romantic-ish.
A big difference between books and TV is that when you’re reading a story, you get to dive into the mind of the characters. The reader gets a first hand look at the main character’s feelings, rather than just watching emotionally void sex scenes. I’m not saying every reader eventually adopts the mindset of Nicholas Sparks, but it couldn’t hurt to be with someone who knows how to keep it interesting when your relationship enters the five-month lull.
He’s smart.
Obviously the guy who chooses books over murdering zombie Nazis in a virtual reality has some serious brains. When you read, you learn. Even if you’re reading bizarre fantasy novels with mythological characters, you at least pick up a decent vocabulary. Dating a reader is like surrounding yourself with a human encyclopedia that wants to fuck you. It basically ensures you’re not wasting your time on a guy who will pick you up for a date and be like, “So, what do you wanna do?”
He has a worthwhile hobby.
I realize that girls have some pretty dumb pastimes as well, but if I come across one more guy who thinks that watching ESPN and crushing Nattys is a legitimate hobby, I’m going to lose my shit. It’s not a bad idea to be with a guy who can contribute more to a conversation than a drunk recap of his most recent kegger.
He’s patient.
You can kill a movie in a few hours, but reading a book takes time and effort. Whether it takes days or weeks for him to persevere through a few hundred pages, most readers get pretty dedicated to their stories. Patience is a skill that will come in handy when you’re being a total pain in the ass and he has to deal with your crazy antics..
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Lucky Jo
Lucky Jo is a former and current TSM writer who likes her men how she likes her coffee: way too hot and unforgivably bitter. She graduated from the University of Missouri in 2016, proving that C's do in fact get degrees. She now spends her days working for a social media marketing agency, hiking with her dachshund, and trying to bring back the scrunchie. Hate mail and goat memes can be sent to lucyjmulvihill@gmail.com.
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