Whitefish dating scene further analyzed

Whoa Ms. Nelson, I feel some bitterness about your judgement of dating in the shadow of Big Mountain (as stated in your column last week).

Dating may be non-existent in Whitefish, but to blame my selfish gender is, uh, maybe a little harsh. I mean we have feelings too, don't we? Is there really anything to talk about other than gettin' 'er done and laying down some first tracks?

Meaningful conversation and emotions are an anathema to a ski town, like flat beer or driving anything other than a Subaru. Responsibility for your fate may lie instead within another hyphenated word: the political-economy.

On the surface this is simple math. Doing rough, dangerous low-paying construction work for a ski-pass provides little extra cash with which to wine and dine you of the opposite sex. It is much more affordable to drink a few PBR's, strap on the beer goggles and look for instant gratification just in case we are drafted tomorrow to fight in Iraq for the freedom of every New York woman to wear Prada.

And we simply do not have time, given pressing hanging out obligations, to iron our shirts, find something other than Tevas to wear to weddings, and change our Carharts.

Digging a little deeper, the man-boys did not mature, but aged during the 1990s, a time we remember best for Monica the intern. We look back upon these years with the same fondness with which we look longingly at a new truck: Then the Supreme Court chose for us a President and role model in the form of a former frat boy and alcoholic instead of that awkward dude who said he invented the internet. At the same time, the women's liberation movement was followed by a bit of neo-feminist angst.

Having worked to be strong, independent women, you likely realized that man-boys are not equal, for they still possess limited cerebral and emotional capacity. Many of us have not developed far from our ancient ancestors homo habilis (translation: handyman).

Those who have attained a level of enlightenment beyond the handyman are now hunter-gatherers: we hunt for deep powder and gather gear.

Like it or not, dating is, in economic terms a rational choice driven by supply and demand. The supply (man-boys), as described above, is a rather simple creature. But that women are only slowly demanding that men act like men is more surprising. Having won the right to vote, rise up and demand commitment, security, commitment again (remember, we have short memories), and maybe flowers on occasion! A few may step up… if only to the bar.

Eric Young

Whitefish