What would it be like to design your own relationship? Everyone has a wistful ideal partner in mind, but what if it were as simple as spending 40 days with a friend and seeing if you could develop feelings for them? Jessica Walsh and Timothy Goodman, two designers in New York City, decided to conduct a day experiment and date each other. They anticipated all these types of questions on their website stating:.
In an attempt to explore and hopefully overcome their fears and inadequacies, Tim and Jessica will go through the motions of a relationship for the next 40 days: the commitment, time, companionship, joys and frustrations. Can they help each other, or will they fall into their same habits?
Will they damage their friendship? What if they fall in love? Relationships are so inherently personal and this fledgeling one is projected for everyone to see. Then again, that is the nature of this generation. Jessica is too intense and falls in love too quickly, whereas Tim is a no-strings attached kind of guy looking to finally have something serious or more accurately whether or not he is capable of commitment.
So their troubles stem from deeply-seated trust issues, chronic health problems, bad habits, and trying to find time for each other. I think what is most appealing, aside from the drama, is the extremely analytical nature of the experiment. In answering the questionnaire every night, their openness is refreshing and insightful. Their openness to the world is a double-edged sword, of sorts. Tim seems to feel the brunt of this social pressure as his fear of commitment, paired with the doubt of his friends, undermines his desire to make it work with Jessica.
I think 40 Days of Dating really speaks to that theory, especially in seeing how both Tim and Jessica confront each other about their respective shortcomings. Because of this day bubble, they can push away outside romantic interests and reflect on the issues that stand in the way of cultivating a healthy relationship with someone.
