Bachelor Tales; The Paradox of Love Throughout Generations.

Bachelor Tales; The Paradox of Love Throughout Generations.

Being a bachelor is an interesting season. For instance, before I started writing this article, the ice cream man drove by the neighbourhood with his sweet music bellowing the airwaves. You know what that means? Children pestering their parents for a few pounds for the ice cream. Mind you, there is no penny ice cream nowadays. Everything is as costly as the economy itself.

But then I didn’t mind the ice cream trucks’ sweet melody. As a bachelor, there is no child, not mine or even the neighbor’s to politely gaze at me, ‘You know that is the ice cream van.’ And just like that, I will be touched by sympathy and give them some loose change for an ice cream with their friends.

It may not even be the children. Most often, women too, in all their totality flock to ice cream shops and vans. We are forgiven for thinking they go there for the children’s sake. However, they too love the taste of ice cream. Some say that is their love language. Just like the chocolate bars. And the thorn-braced red rose flowers. At least that is common among the different generations.

Types of Bachelors

Unfortunately, that is where the buck stops. Before I even dive deeper, there are different types of bachelors you need to know. Those who are bachelors because life has given them hard lessons about relationships until they have believed their half-ribs were used for some soup in one of the old downtown stalls. Even perhaps, they drank that soup. Conclusion: fate has it that being single is their calling.

Then there is the bachelor lot that has commitment phobia. They love the free-spirited lifestyle, and any thoughts otherwise are suicidal. Thirdly, there are those whose situation is inevitable. They have to be bachelors because that is the life of that moment. This is a season for every man anyway.

Fortunately, I have been through all those transitions and even more. For that matter, I have the opportunity to speak from both a point of authority and with authority. So, a while ago, we had a candid conversation regarding marriage. It was based on the general outlook of the different generational factions represented in that audience.

Being a bachelor may mean meeting young damsels.
As a bachelor, opportunities to meet diverse ladies across generations are many. Photo Credit; Spiceworks

It struck me how the young people, Gen Z and Gen Alpha (don’t be fooled though, the older Gen Alpha -10-11 years – are bold enough to express themselves) think that marriage is not their cup of tea. Their reasons? They love their autonomy. That is the second phase of bachelors and bachelorettes. They don’t want to submit, not even a will, to another person. And a man for that matter.

Maybe even many of them are becoming more comfortable wanting to be the alpha males or females. The problem is the brooding of supremacy wars even outside the marriage context. In any arrangement, there has to be an individual who tows down and ‘sacrifices,’ yet for these young guys, none of them wants to. I guess it is immaturity. Forget not, though, that habit begets character.

All said, what does love look like for these different generations? For the boomers and Gen X, their love is in the airwaves so to speak. Cool and ambient. Nothing like a fast pace. Much of it has some defined roles, set boundaries, kidding arrangements (pun intended), and show-little-but-deep-connections type.

These folks sometimes have very deep connections and it takes ingenuity to observe that, especially for the show-the-world-trivia type. Some people wonder how that is love with just a few touches here and there and not much partying and being over each other all the time. Mind you, a public show of affection is just a drop in the ocean.

Then there is the millennial. This is the foundation of the rebellious crew to the status quo. This is where the revolution began in terms of defining relational arrangements. Most bachelors and bachelorettes are here (my thoughts though). Many are those who have been divorced or simply decided not to marry. To them, marriage and relations should never be till death do us part. It should be for as long as any of the parties is interested and some love is in the air.

And the majority are largely visual, something which cascades down to the subsequent generations. For instance, Gen Z’s standards of marriage and love are based on what they see with some celebrities and their show bizz and are also largely influenced by what they see with their millennial counterparts.

How Times have changed!

A Gen X and Gen Z bachelor differences, Funny illustrations of how times have changed.
Funny illustrations of how times have changed. Think of a Gen X bachelor and Gen Z bachelorette and how they can fit into one cosmos.

Gone are the days when I could write a poem to a girl and they could fall for me head down without strings of bucket lists. I am reminded of this girl I wrote a lovely poem and pap! She was my girlfriend for a good while.

I also remember writing another young damsel a letter in which I relished the powerful fangs of the pen and ‘marauded’ her feminine anatomy and physiology until she thought she was only second to Queen Cleopatra VII. She too was a good girlfriend for some lengthy time.

All that was long before my old man reminded me that a young man who cannot feed himself has no business entertaining another man’s daughter. I took that to heart. Unfortunately, now that not only can I feed myself but also a small battalion of yours truly mini generals, my luck with the daughters of Eve seems to have eluded me.

That is the paradox. Also, I may end up marrying one of the late millennials if luck permits yet it seems probable that a Gen Z is my best bet. How then will I catch up with their social media buzz? I will sleep and wake up the next morning to calls of picketing arranged from my bed and on in which I must get involved because a family that works together succeeds together.

It may be that I must always be on top of my game with a public show of affection practising the latest trending dance moves and hits for TikTok and Instagram. I will be expected to keep tabs on so and so and ensure that we are at par if not ahead of them even if it means faking it till we make it. Perhaps, we will have to call our babies revolutionary names like IoT, Blockchain, quantum computing, generative AI, cybersecurity et cetera.

It will not be bad to have a Quantum/Blockchain/IoT Geoffrey as a son or daughter. But first things first, I need retraining to beat the courting gimmicks of these people. Or maybe I try a poem and a letter one last time.

You never know if there is one remaining who cares to read an authentic piece whose feelings AI does not understand to generate and only she can decipher the micro details of the wording and the pheromones in the sweat of the fingerprints left behind by the sweat of expression.

I guess that is the only bullet I have left with my bachelorhood. Otherwise, I will start an entrepreneurial adventure. Like homes for the elderly, I can start homes for the SBs (senior bachelors and bachelorettes.) Mind you no idea is small😊.

Geoffrey Ndege

Geoffrey Ndege

Geoffrey Ndege is the Editor and topical contributor for the Daily Focus. He writes in the areas of Science, Manufacturing, Technology, Innovation, Governance, Management and International Emerging Issues. For featuring, promotions or support, reach out to us at info@dailyfocus.co.ke
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x