The notion that opposites attract is a persistent myth that many people continue to swear by to this day. Opposites do attract to a certain degree, but only in the early stages of dating . And, to be honest, I don't know if I would even call it "attraction." A more appropriate word might be "intrigue." Meeting someone who seems like our complete opposite seems like a breath of fresh air at first. After all, we're used to having friends and dating people who share our interests, so this can feel like a pleasant change. However, as time wears on, the differences begin to really manifest themselves, and what once seemed like an interesting quality in the other person begins to get on our nerves. Here are a couple of examples: A liberal person dating a conservative one A neat freak dating a slob An avid football fan dating someone who loathes sports A well-heeled professional dating a person who's constantly broke and unemployed An introvert...

Studies suggest that couples who share the same interests go on to have longer, more fruitful relationships. You would think that if couples have disparate interests ("opposites attract"), they can keep the relationship fresh and exciting. But this just isn't so, at least not over the long haul. If you love baseball while your partner digs foreign art, you'll eventually bicker when it comes to deciding what to do on a given night. Sure, the art of compromise is still alive and well, but couples whose interests diverge too widely will often find themselves growing apart before they know it. This can be broadened to include personal views on everything from religion and politics to the environment. Personality also comes into play, as I've noted in earlier posts. If your idea of a fun Saturday night is staying in and reading by the fireplace while your partner would much rather hit the nightclub, you're both in for a bumpy ride. Again, sharing simila...