Labor of LoveLabor of Love

“Does anyone date anymore?” Today, the authorities tell us that courtship is in crisis. But when Moira Weigel dives into the history of sex and romance in modern America, she discovers that authorities have always said this. Ever since young men and women started to go out together, older generations have scolded them: That’s not the way to find true love. The first women who made dates with strangers were often arrested for prostitution; long before “hookup culture,” there were “petting parties”; before parents worried about cell phone apps, they fretted about joyrides and “parking.” Dating is always dying. But this does not mean that love is dead. It simply changes with the economy. Dating is, and always has been, tied to work.

Lines like “I’ll pick you up at six” made sense at a time when people had jobs that started and ended at fixed hours. But in an age of contract work and flextime, many of us have become sexual freelancers, more likely to text a partner “u still up?” Weaving together over one hundred years of history with scenes from the contemporary landscape, Labor of Love offers a fresh feminist perspective on how we came to date the ways we do. This isn't a guide to “getting the guy.” There are no ridiculous “rules” to follow. Instead, Weigel helps us understand how looking for love shapes who we are—and hopefully leads us closer to the happy ending that dating promises.

"It seems as though every week there's a new app available on your smartphone promising dates a plenty--just swipe right. A mate, on the other hand, is becoming harder and harder to find. The age-old quest for true love requires more effort than ever before. Let's face it: dating is work. Which, as it happens, is exactly where it began, in the 19th century--as prostitution. In Labor of Love, Moira Weigel dives into the secret history of dating while holding up a mirror to the contemporary dating landscape, revealing why we date the way we do and explaining why it feels so much like work. This isn't a guide to "getting the guy"; there are no ridiculous "rules" to follow in Labor of Love. This is a brilliant, fresh, and utterly original approach to help us understand how dating was invented and, hopefully, lead us closer to the happy ending that it promises"--
An investigation into the factors that shape how people date examines the contrast between ubiquitous dating technologies and the realities of finding a mate, surveying the practices of historical times while outlining a cliché-free approach to dating to minimize dating work and advance long-term commitment goals. A first book.
An investigation into how people date examines the contrast between dating technologies and the realities of finding a mate, surveying the practices of long ago while outlining a new approach to dating that minimizes the work involved.
"A brilliant and surprising investigation into why we date the way we do"--