Most of our ideas about love are byproducts of the Romantic era. The 200-year old fairy tale vision of love has embedded itself into popular culture in numerous ways. Despite the progress of the ongoing sexual revolution, the push for gender equality, and technological innovations, we’re still stuck with the same old story about two people falling passionately in love at first sight.

Is that really still the case today? More importantly, was it ever the way things worked?

There’s an argument that the idea of romantic love has lasted so long because it’s powerful. The story of finding one’s true love through instant, passionate soul mate recognition is definitely appealing, but that doesn’t mean it’s true.

What are the real stories about lasting relationships? What is it that makes two people compatible over long periods of time? Do we need a more realistic, levelheaded idea of love rooted in basic wants and needs? Or do we need to revolutionize love to keep pace with dynamic changes in society?

Technology has already changed our basic approach to love. From dating apps to scoping out potential partners on social media, algorithms already control our romantic tendencies. Optimists will say that the combination of advanced technologies and big data will unlock the secrets of the heart. Pessimists counter that our devices only lead to more anxiety and dissatisfaction with love. Has technology played a positive or negative role in your romantic life? Does it emphasize sexual intercourse over lasting commitment? Or does it just give individuals what they actually want?