Valentine's Day in the Algorithm Era: The Paradox of Choice and Romantic Fasting

• Dating apps transform Valentine's Day into a psychological hurdle for digital natives, creating a 'stressful retail experience' for finding love.
• The 'Paradox of Choice' leads to decision paralysis, with an overabundance of options causing users to constantly seek 'someone better'.
• This 'maximiser' mindset results in perpetual 'search mode', diminishing satisfaction and increasing the 'opportunity cost' of unpicked profiles.
• The 'loneliness of the infinite swipe' causes dating app burnout, emotional depletion, and a lack of intimacy despite numerous connections.
• A new trend, 'Romantic Fasting', sees Gen Z and Millennials pausing dating apps during Valentine's to prioritize mental health and '6-7 dating' over endless searching.