Love, Throughline

Throughline

15-02-2024 • 53 mins

We asked you to call us with your stories of looking for love in the 21st century — and man, did you come through. We heard the whole range of human experience in your stories, but one theme rang out loud and clear: dating, and especially online dating, is a struggle.

The data backs this up. Despite the fact that meeting someone today doesn't require much more than swiping on your phone, people who are looking for long-term relationships are lonelier than ever.

Why is it like this? How did love – this thing that's supposed to be beautiful, magical, transformative – turn into a neverending slog? We went searching for answers, and we found them in surprising places. On today's show: a time-hopping, philosophical journey into the origins of modern love.

Correction: An earlier version of this episode incorrectly said that the Jena Romantics shared a house for 10 years. In fact they lived and worked in close proximity, occasionally cohabitating, for approximately five years

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

You Might Like

History Daily
History Daily
Airship | Noiser | Wondery
Dark History
Dark History
Audioboom Studios
The Ancients
The Ancients
History Hit
The Rest Is History
The Rest Is History
Goalhanger Podcasts
Lore
Lore
Aaron Mahnke
Gone Medieval
Gone Medieval
History Hit
History Extra podcast
History Extra podcast
Immediate Media
Tides of History
Tides of History
Wondery / Patrick Wyman
BADLANDS
BADLANDS
Double Elvis
Everything '80s
Everything '80s
Jamie Logie / Curiouscast