I might be coining a new term with this blog. It occurred to me suddenly today morning that just as there is information asymmetry, in finance and economics and an impact of the asymmetry, similarly in life, there is a “like” asymmetry between people and it has consequences.
Between two friends, there is asymmetry in how much one likes the other and their behavior is different accordingly leading to fights, misunderstandings etc. Think of a friend who likes you a lot, but you don’t like him/her as much – they keep calling you, inviting you over for everything important, want to share their lives with you and you try and skip a few calls and some events. It hurts like hell when it’s the other way around. You enjoy spending time with someone and they enjoy it a little less 🙂 you will feel like you are being ignored, but it’s just a “like” asymmetry. They like you, but a little less than how much you like them, and it’s fine. Just understand that it happens to you and you make it happen for others as well.
There is a lot of “like” asymmetry with your parents depending on age – you don’t “like” them during the teen years and really miss them when they are gone. The asymmetry is not one-sided, your parents don’t like a bunch of stuff you do too, at almost all ages :):) it’s just their love that is constant and unparalleled.
The “like” asymmetry probably leads to many divorces, because marriage is an unnatural, man-made social construct. You need a lot of love, but you need a lot of like too, to make it work. You should really like spending time with your spouse, because you spend so much time together under one roof. Love will get you married, but like will help you stay married and enjoy it. My “gyan” on marriage.
Hmmm my Finance and Economics profs must be looking for a cane to beat me – I turned an important concept on its head, but well, am a poet, not a numbers person :):):)