LOVE IN THE TIMES OF LOVE ISLAND

You can smell it. Valentine’s Day is here. The world splits into two: those who buy chocolates and condoms by the dozen, fully embracing the romance… and those who would rather rip their own heart out than celebrate Valentine’s.

For us, it’s the perfect excuse to talk about love. Modern love and how certain concepts have radically changed from our parents’ generation to ours.

3 WAYS YOUR DAD AND YOU SEE LOVE DIFFERENTLY

Love today is not what it was in your grandparents' time:

Relationships start (and often end 💦) through a screen…
Instagram has become an emotional showcase where everyone posts filtered love stories with dramatic soundtracks…
Love Island is the pop culture experiment we all use to analyze relationships over drinks at the pub…

Times change… and so does the way we understand love. Here are three big questions that divide generations (try asking your mates):

Is cheating the ultimate betrayal in a relationship?
Do you have a fixed ‘type’ when it comes to attraction?
Do you see yourself reflected in Love Island?

1. IS CHEATING THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL?

They sell Love Island as the ultimate test of love. You only truly love someone if you can live in a luxury villa, surrounded by absolute stunners, and resist the temptation to flirt (after a few cocktails, of course). Then come the excuses:

“I just followed my heart.”
“I needed to test my feelings.”
“I had to let loose.” And it all ends in fiery recouplings and explosive breakups that would make even soap operas jealous.

But… is knowing where someone puts their lips really the worst thing that can happen? Most of us have seen cheating up close. It hurts, sure. But with time (and a lot of reflection), you move on. Unpleasant? Yes. The end of the world? Not really.

New generations seem to agree. There are way worse things than cheating—like lack of mutual respect, trust issues, or simply not meeting each other’s needs.

2. DO YOU HAVE A FIXED ‘TYPE’ IN LOVE?

Tell me if you’re sensitive or emotionally unavailable. If you’re a hopeless romantic or a player. If you grew up thinking men should never cry. Tell me who you are… and I’ll tell you how you’ll be judged and what your ‘ideal match’ should be.

But today’s generation couldn’t care less about traditional gender roles. Liberated women, men who cry and love making homemade pasta…

Having a rigid list of qualities for your perfect match (or yourself) is outdated. This isn’t a job application. The new generations prioritize things like shared joy, emotional support, and someone who gets them out of bed in the morning (or keeps them in it).

3. DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN LOVE ISLAND?

Love Island is a pop culture phenomenon and meme goldmine. It has given us hours of debates and even new ways to define relationships.

But why is that? Just for the drama? Well, yes… but also because we see glimpses of ourselves in it. It shows us, in exaggerated form, issues like control, jealousy, gaslighting, and manipulation. And it makes us think: how would we react in their place?

Modern love is also about self-awareness. Looking at yourself before pointing fingers at others. Cleaning up your own emotional mess before judging someone else’s. Loving yourself before trying to love someone else.

THIS IS MODERN LOVE, LOVE ISLAND STYLE.

At this point in your life, you’ve probably experienced heartbreak, met picture-perfect people who were boring in real life, been in toxic relationships (or been the toxic one), and learned from it all. Maybe your heart is patched up or still in pieces.

And maybe… that’s not a generational thing. Maybe it’s just part of the journey. A process of scars and growth that shapes your evolved view on love:

Maybe now you don’t stress over things that seemed unbearable 10 years ago…
Maybe you’re open to different kinds of people, as long as they make you happy.
Maybe you put your happiness first, knowing that’s the key to a healthy relationship.

If that sounds like you—congrats. You’ve mastered the one thing that never dies but constantly transforms: love itself.

❤️‍🔥 LOVE YOURSELF FIRST ❤️‍🔥

P.S.: A lot of “love of my life” and “soulmate” talk, but above all, a lot of self-love. That’s why today’s article (and love letter) is sponsored by our Giggleberries Gel for your intimate areas.