It's a quandary for men all over the world: who should pay for a first date? Well, a divorce lawyer says guys should always fork out. Here's his two pence:
Lee explained in a video to his TikTok account that it's not about the money itself, but what it signifies.
He said the act of paying can reveal things about a potential partner that it might usually take much longer to learn.
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"The issue isn't tied to the number of dollars that we're spending at the end of the date; if it is, respectfully, you need to go get a job," said Lee.
"The issue is when we end up paying for someone who has this real sense of entitlement, like this expectation that we will pay. That's precisely why we need to always pay.
"Your date, whoever that is, may very well be the person you end up marrying. And trust me when I say, as a divorce lawyer, who you end up marrying is so, so important.
"Let's say, at the end of the date, you pull out your wallet and you offer to pay. And your date just sits there, expecting you to pay, as if that is the obvious course of action."
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He went on: "You just learned that the person in front of you is entitled, and frankly, has the audacity to expect a near stranger to pay for them. Just imagine how someone like that would treat their significant other.
"For a low, low price of $20, $30, $40, you learned that the person in front of you does not have the basic courtesy to pretend to offer to pay. And therefore you should never go on another date with them."
Unsurprisingly, his comments sparked one hell of a debate in the comments.
One user said: "I agree 100 percent. It's the entitlement that is such a turn off."
Another jumped in: "Nah guys should pay on the first date. I'm old school."
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"You should always pay because it tells us you're going to be a good provider," put a third.
Another added: "I expect my spouse to take care of me. I won't pretend anything."
Lee later dipped into the comments himself to go over a couple of the points he made.
He explained: "Oh boy, this sparked quite a debate. A lot of you are missing the point of the video – it’s not about who actually ends up paying, as much as it is about respecting and appreciating the gesture. As I said in the video, men will gladly pay – the payment isn’t the issue.
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"The issue is when women perceive the payment as an obligation as opposed to a kind gesture. Entitled vs Appreciative. No one owes anybody anything!
"And or the record, this isn’t gender specific – any man or woman who feels entitled in [any way] towards the other is a walking red flag."
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Viral, TikTok, US News
Dominic Smithers