I am a fan of Aziz Ansari’s standup comedy routine and his TV show Master of None. Having experienced the travails of dating in the digital age, I looked forward to Modern Romance. The book surprised me. I expected a collection of funny anecdotes with commentary in Aziz’s voice. It certainly contained those, but the book offers much more than that. It presents the results of a statistically significant in depth sociological survey covering the dating patterns and behavior of thousands of individuals around the world. I found it truly insightful.

The opportunities and challenges presented by dating in the 21st century rang true. We would not want to have the limited set of dating opportunities from 50 years ago, but at the time are overwhelmed by the tyranny of choice, the fear of missing out and of settling when someone just a little better than the person we are currently with may just be a right swipe away.

The international comparisons were fascinating. I was not surprised that the French held true to their stereotype. France is the country with the highest rates of infidelity in the world for both men and women according to the latest data. We are also the most tolerant towards cheating, with flower shops advertising not to forget our mistresses during Valentines Day 🙂 The short conclusion with the summary of findings and practical recommendations for improving the dating process were convincing.

Whether you are single or in a committed relationship and wondering what dating is like in the modern age check out Modern Romance.