We hurt the ones we love...

...but only while they let us. Let's get back to the Sexual Stock Market, shall we.

I have watched a lot of my friends' relationships come and go, and there is one truth that always comes out. Someone is always the giver, and someone is always the taker. Truth be told, each partner is both a giver and a taker, but by the end of the relationship, there is always a clear indication of how those ratios were actually split. Typically, relationships end when the giver has run out of goods, thus resulting in the taker deciding to skip town (or getting kicked to the curb) to look for new markets to exploit.

I recently just saw someone I know end a very lengthy relationship. Why? Well, she couldn't bear the costs anymore. Her ROI was simply non-existent. And why did he think he could continue exploit her? Because he didn't think there was any competition. Unfortunately for him, the marketplace is wide open, filled with gentlemen suitors ready to make good on a lovely, intelligent lady's investment in them.

So... who's left in your rolodex now, my friend?

And before anyone asks...

Clients. If you've ever had them, then you know exactly what I mean.

Rumors and Gossip

Two things I hate. But for some damn reason, everyone else is drawn to them like flies to shit. This just popped up on Boing Boing last night... there might be some good ammunition in here:

"A rumor is what you do when you try to figure out the truth with other people,” DiFonzo says. “It’s collective sense making. The classic example is ‘I heard that…’”

Gossip, on the other hand, is sharing information with an agenda, he says. It could be for entertainment or to bond with another person or to reinforce a social norm. Gossip, which may be true, tends to have an edge.

“Gossip is more to do with social networks,” DiFonzo says. “A strong motivation we have as humans is to connect with a group.”

Sharing information with an agenda... very interesting...