Odd survey on someone else's journal

[redbird]

The opposite of "there are no right answers to the wrong questions" may be "that's so obvious I can't understand why you're bothering to ask it." The poll is offering the choice between two options, one of which seems desirable if imperfect, and the other of which I have no interest in--I really can't see the appeal of "arm candy" if it's specified that the relationship is not intimate either physically, emotionally, or intellectually.

Comments

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

The only appeal of arm candy that I can see is the impression it makes on observers. And while in general I have no interest in impressing random strangers with (inaccurate) visions of my date-pulling success, and my friends don't need impressing, I'll admit there are a very few situations where an obviously appealing escort would boost my self-confidence -- such as the wedding of an ex when I'm not entirely over them yet.

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

The point of most relationships is between the 2 people involved. (Or occasionally among more than 2. But still inside those romantically involved.) The audience is incidental, if there is an audience at all. The point of an arm-candy relationship is between the arm and the audience. That's where the emotional driving force is. That's where everything has to be aimed. There's no reason to satisfy anything between the arm and the candy -- the candy is incidental.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

People are very weird.

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

That set of motivations are pretty close to entirely alien to me; about the only thing I can connect to that sort of making interactions deliberately visible to third parties not directly in a relationship is if there were a third party who had good reason for worrying about one of the people involved in the relationship and one wished to demonstrate that all concerned were in fact entirely happy.

[redbird]

Yes, and were that the case, I would wish to do so only to the extent that we were entirely happy. I am very happy to wander around in public holding a sweetie's hand and smiling, but if I'm showing anything off, it's "look how happy we are" rather than "look what I've got", which seems (as adrian_turtle at least implied) to be more about display and status than about actual relationships.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

I personally don't understand arm candy, but I also don't understand dressing to make an impression, either.

[snippy]

Isn't this from the same mental place that "sexual market value" arises? I spent way too much time on soc.singles not to be familiar with the mindset: arm candy gives me extra man points in the competition to show I'm the best man, because it proves I can *attract* such a person (who is obviously valuable because of looks).