Is Romance Dead?

Everyone posts their opinions with reference to their definition of romance. Some people's definition of romance is intertwined and sampled from a meltingpot of chivalry, sex, love, old-fashioned, conservative values, courtship, manners, etc.

To me, romance is a little bit of each. But I also believe that my definition of romance is different than say a girl I'm courting.

In the end, I think it's not really dead. Whatever your definition of romance, I'm sure you will find examples of it, REAL LIFE examples of it in the world. The world is too big and you cannot know it all, see what goes on elsewhere. I have constant contact with north-mexican culture because this is where my roots are. I have friends and family I frequently visit in the city of Chihuahua, so I'm not so far removed from living that culture. I live in the States so I see this side of it as well..the southwest portion anyway. In all the posts here, I notice a trend that is more Western than anything else. I know there is diveristy, but the fact that we all post in english tells you there is some HUGE level of influence from the western society.

Independant of what your definition of romance is, back to what I was saying, I think there is examples of it in most big cities at least. Big cities are culturally diverse so it's a safe bet that you'll find people courting others in accordance with the romanticism defined by it's culture. The thing to understand, however, is that behavior, like life, is a rollercoaster. It is this way because we humans would get bored seing the same thing everyday. If you are surprised with a flower one day, for no reason, you feel so happy..because it doesn't happen everyday. But if you get a flower every day for ten years, you are not going to feel the same way after your 500th daily flower as you did from the first surprise flower.

Same with romantic behavior. I think that we should not get discouraged and say romance is dead and everyone is so cold now because romance isn't a constant thing. In Chihuahua, guys know what each color of roses signifies: yellow for friendship, red for passion, white for..I don't even know them, but they have their own rules of romanticism to follow for their courtship (as per my definition of romance). Now this doesn't mean they do it 24-7. It's like saying manners no longer exist because not everyone says "thank you" as much or "good morning" to every stranger you pass down the street.

My argument, in a nut shell, is that whatever your definition of romance..you will find it in real life, even if it's just at select periods...but expecting the novel/movie fictional character to happen in the real world..that's a little harder to come by.

Freddie