We've all heard the claim before - "No strings attached." It's often used when offering to do a favor for someone. "I'll give you the $50 you need - no strings attached".
No strings attached, quite simply, means to not expect anything in return. All there is is what I'm offering - nothing more, nothing less. But there are always expectations, even if we try not to have them. If I give you $50, I, unfortunately, expect you to return the favor if I ever should end up in a similar predicament. I may not believe it at the moment I give you the money. But when the time comes that I need the money, my mind upon your answer of "no" will be "well I bailed you out. One would think you'd have the decency to do the same."
"No strings attached" relationships are the same. These are relationships which are generally purely physical relationships. The "no strings" in this case means no emotional attachment. We sleep with each other when we're both in the mood, and go about our lives when we're not. We date and love who we wish, and aren't expected to be there when the other wants only someone to hold them.
This is a bit different than "friends with benefits." The "friends" part of that relationship already signifies there will be some sort of strings or expectations. "No strings attached" claims to leave no room for expectations.
And yet, this relationship is perhaps the most impossible of all. At least, for any decent length of time. A week or two may be achievable, but eventually, one will develop feelings. And these feelings - these emotional attachments - can show themselves in a variety of ways. Perhaps one will become jealous of the other partner's relationships. Or there will be a broken heart, or the expectation that one will be there during the painful times. One will want to share their feelings with the other.
No matter what the case, "no strings attached" - or a purely physical relationship - creates more problems than it is typically worth.
No comments:
Post a Comment