SUBSCRIBING TO LOVE

Has romance been doomed in a world where everything needs a subscription? Or can love still break free from the algorithm, and find its way back to something pure?

By Agranee Singh

“In the room, it’s just you and I” by Saskialunarose. Source: Pinterest

Relationship struggles are often treated as private dilemmas, something to be solved in late-night arguments or self-help books. But the truth is, love doesn’t exist in a vacuum. From financial stress to burnout, Capitalism has quietly reshaped romance, turning what should be an intimate connection into yet another system to navigate.

Once, love had been priceless. A feeling so rare, it couldn’t be bought, swiped for, or algorithmically curated. But in a world where self-worth is measured in engagement metrics, and relationships are marketed like a limited time offer, a question lingers: Has capitalism turned romance into a commodity?

Deepkaran Chadha, 24, based in Chandigarh, runs D&M Clothing, a clothing manufacturing and wholesale business. On asking about his views on love, and pleasure, he explains, “You can go withoutone or the other and be just fine. What’s on social media, leads you to believe notions that reshapes your opinion on how love should be perceived which clouds your judgement when you’re actually in the

thick of it.”

Somewhere between hookup culture, performative pleasure, and the relentless pressure to know what you want, intimacy has become yet another product marketed, optimized, and sold back to us. And let’s not ignore the elephant in the room: everything, even sex, has been rebranded into a consumer experience. Swipe-based attraction, algorithm-curated kinks, and the overwhelming sense that pleasure itself is just another box to check.

The real question isn’t just what feels good, but why? And whether those desires are even ours to begin with. Because in a world where connection is commodified, are we truly turned on? Or are we just playing along?

Asking Navya Chaudhary, 22, a fashion influencer with 42 thousand followers and a corporate girly based in Gurugram, about her views. It hits like a reality check for women in the working space because Capitalism has induced a clear divide in the pay of the two genders creating a somewhat hostile feeling of showing women down. It’s been difficult for her in the dating space without a man trying to assert dominance because he earns more, giving away that chivalry is practically dead.

The wage gap is still out here doing its thing, making sure women earn less while working twice as hard. And surprise-surprise, this doesn’t just mess up careers, it seeps into relationships too. When dudes make more, suddenly money becomes a power move. Women’s ambitions? Dismissed. Their success? Downplayed. And if she out-earns him? Brace for impact.

“Fixing whats already broken” concept and photographed by Agranee Singh

Dating turns into a weird game of financial monopoly, where women juggle paying their own way while also carrying the emotional weight of keeping the relationship afloat. At this point it’s not even about love anymore. It’s more about proving your worth in an economy that refuses to acknowledge it.