The Penny Method Might Just Be One Of The Most Toxic Dating Trends, Here’s Why – News18

Navigating the world of dating seems to be getting trickier, with new twists and turns making the journey more complex than ever. Enter the latest complication: the ‘penny method’. This widely popular and cruel dating trend takes simplicity out of the equation, introducing a systematic approach that might just leave you questioning the authenticity of relationships these days. Let’s dive into why this method is causing a stir in the dating landscape. This disconcerting trend, as explained by lifestyle influencer Erika Tham, involves a systematic reduction of the effort invested in a relationship, moving from the initial grand gestures to a meager offering of breadcrumbs.

Influencer Erika Tham sheds light on this method in a now-viral video, describing it as unsettling to possess knowledge about its inner workings. She says that during a conversation with her male friend about ‘love bombing,’ he introduced the concept of the penny method to her.

For those who are unfamiliar, love bombing, according to Cosmopolitan, is a detrimental dating habit marked by excessive affection at the relationship’s onset for manipulative purposes.

Coming back to the penny method, according to Erika, the initial phase involves showering a partner with a lot of affection and love-filled gestures, similar to giving them hundred-dollar bills, to capture their interest. However, the guy might not always be willing to pay a hundred dollars or put in lots of effort constantly. Now, he makes a deliberate reduction of 10 percent effort or 10 dollars, making it a total of 90 dollar bills.

Erika reveals that the recipient of the penny method may perceive the 10% decrease in effort but faces the challenge of addressing it without being dismissed as crazy. The manipulative cycle continues as the effort is incrementally raised back to 95. Erika emphasises the disturbing nature of this process, where the recipient, rather than feeling a 5% loss, paradoxically believes they’ve gained 5%, despite the reduced effort.

This manipulative cycle persists, akin to receiving diminishing currency denominations, until the recipient is content with receiving meager offerings, analogous to being satisfied with a single nickel. Erika expresses her apprehension, stating, “The idea that men might actually think like this makes me so afraid.”

Watch it here:

The video garnered swift reactions from internet users, with some expressing disgust and labeling the penny method as sickening and evil.

Some viewers also mentioned that this dating trend perpetuates a toxic approach to relationships, prioritising manipulation over open communication and authentic connection.