Relationship Shopping: The Quest for Meaningful Connections

By Mr. Buddhadeb Gorai

About the Book Relationship Shopping: The Consumer Turn in Human Connection explores how modern relationships--romantic, platonic, even professional--are increasingly shaped by the logic of consumer choice. Blending history, psychology, cultural theory, and digital sociology, the book traces the evolution of how we form and curate connections in an age of individualism, technology, and market values. The journey begins with 19th-century shifts toward personal autonomy, emotional fulfillment, and Romantic ideals. These laid the foundation for modern relationship values, where love became less about duty and more about choice. In the 20th century, the rise of humanistic psychology and dating culture normalized compatibility and self-growth as criteria for connection--echoing consumer behavior. With the digital revolution, dating apps and social media transformed relationships into algorithmic experiences. Swiping, filtering, and branding ourselves became everyday rituals of love and friendship. Even intimacy is now curated, optimized, and, at times, commodified. Looking ahead, the book considers AI matchmaking, predictive love tools, and the ethical dilemmas they raise. It also highlights the growing embrace of diverse relational forms--polyamory, non-binary intimacy, chosen families--and how these expand the very idea of "relationship shopping." Far from dismissing the consumer metaphor, the book invites a rethinking: Can we shop for relationships consciously, ethically, and with emotional depth? Relationship Shopping offers a timely, critical, and hopeful lens on how we connect--and what it means to choose love in the age of choice.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F5PV94WC
• ISBN13: 9798280641310
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 159 Pages
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.4" x 6.0"