|
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Gifts of worth and of less
By Zosimo T. Literatus, R.M.T.
Breakthroughs
Gifts have been, for centuries, powerful tools of persuasion.
Apparently, even gods in the olden times could not resist them. “It is said that gifts,” wrote the 4th century BC playwright Euripides, author of the play Medea, “persuade even gods.”
But like good things, persuasion, too, can be overdone...so is gift-giving. It nevertheless does not mean that gifts are not close to women’s hearts. As Elena, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones in the movie The Legend of Zorro (2005), told her husband:
“Besides, these are pearls. You never gave me pearls...Every woman loves pearls.”
Delving into this relationship puzzle, two mathematicians from the University College London, made a study based on a mathematical model to show which gifts would facilitate courtship.
Researcher Peter Sozou works at the Center for Mathematics and Physics in the Life Sciences and Experimental Biology and Robert Seymour teaches at the Department of Mathematics.
In the study, the duo constructed two versions of a sequential game of courtship. In the first model, attractiveness was relevant to human courtship and assumed that the male was involved with parental care. In the second model, the deciding factors were male condition and female receptiveness, with no parental involvement on the part of the male.
The results, reported in the Journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, show that extravagant gifts (costly to men) but worthless to women, may solve the male dilemma of getting exploited for his gifts.
They also found out males less likely offer expensive gifts to females they have no long-term interest in. And cheap gifts won’t impress females. By offering expensive but worthless gifts (e.g. dinners, theatre trips), males pay no cost if the invitation isn’t accepted.
What’s good in this approach, said Sozou, is that “girls that don’t find a guy attractive are less likely to take up the invitation because it would mean spending time with a person they aren’t interested in.”
But what is the one thing no other material gift could be more valuable in comparison? “True love’s the gift,” wrote Sir Walter Scott, author of The Lay of the Last Minstrel, “which God has given to man alone beneath the heaven.” It’s so much nicer to focus on the person, not on the material gift he can offer. But often, strangers need a bridge on which to cross towards each other. And sometimes it can be worth the cost. (For comments and suggestions, email to ztliteratus6046@lycos.com or text to 0927-979-3519.)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 20, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
