"Its simple boys, if you like a girl, take her out!"

From the dawn of time, the male species from homo sapiens right down to the aves (birds), have had to 'peacock' themselves or battle to get the female of their desire to view them as a suitable match. Polar Bears, for instance, may follow the tracks of a breeding female for up to 100 km or more. He will then have to endure intense fighting with other males over mating rights for an entire week. Then if we take a look at the great romantics over time we find the likes of Shah Jahan, who went down in history for commissioning one of history's most spectacular buildings, the Taj Mahal, in honor of his much beloved wife. And who could forget Giacomo Casanova, who was of the view that a woman's conversation was at least as captivating as her body. This, as well as the multiple and sometimes exaggerated tales of his sexual escapades, has made him a thing of legends in women's eyes. 

Insert modern day date and what do you get? Relationships through texts, conversations via emails and leeringly drunk pick-ups from sub-par conversationalists who reek of too much cologne and are still wearing their sunglasses on their head after 9pm. Insert "Sigh"!  Where have all the men gone? And by men I mean gentlemen/romantics. Have we become so encased in modern technology that we are bound by its restrictions to the point where we cannot formally court a woman anymore? What ever happened to roses, chocolates, serenading, theatre or actually for that matter, just a plain dinner date? 

Here's the thing that started this, Sydney men DO NOT take girls out. I come from a world where, when a lady met a man and there was that initial 'spark', the man would ask her out. They would go to dinner, the man having picked the lady up from her house at an appropriate hour, and get to know each other over a glass of wine and amicable discussions. Depending on the 'spark's' progression (i.e. drinks and the couples attraction, as well as the ladies chastity methods) the night could end in one of two ways (cough cough , wink wink). In Sydney, the average single lady is lucky if the man offers to take her out to a movie and drinks, let alone a bona fide meal at a restaurant! My single gal pals and I have been reviewing the less then adequate behavior of the average male here in this city. Here is the 'norm':

1) Group dates with the guys. How is this impressive or inviting in any way shape or form? Yes, sure I would love to come and get to know you on an evening out with the lads while you all drink beer and make lewd sexual jokes about females. Bucket list stuff!

2) Come over, hang and watch a DVD: This is actually all right but not as the first invite to get to know the girl. At least offer to take her for coffee or make an effort and cook her dinner. All this is doing is setting the standard for what's to come. Not only this, but nine times out of ten the housemates are there and that’s oh so not awkward! 

3) Text a million times without even asking her out. I don’t know if there are males out there that accumulate a dozen or so numbers and use them in the same sort of way we would a social media platform. Engage them, talk to them, but very rarely meet them. A few of my single girlfriends have had men text them for weeks on end without ever being able to tie them down to meet up. Please do tell me what the point is there? Meet a girl, take her number, give her a call and invite her to do something. Even DVDs is better then this one! 

4) This ones a keeper: Gets your number and before even meeting up with you again, starts asking you about what you are wearing. I mean, you love a guy who’s into fashion, but somehow I don’t think that’s what he was asking, was he?

My answer is that men in Sydney are so spoilt for choice with the gorgeous women that parade the streets that the need for 'wooing' or chivalry has next to no necessity. Not only this, but is it also the case that women have lowered their standards to the point where we don’t expect the man to treat us like every other lady in the course of history. Does that make the few of us who hold out for 'Romeo' idiotic or idealistic? Who knows? I just know that I would rather have a cocktail with my girls any day over some cheeseball who thinks a beer at a pub is going to impress me. And there is the age-old saying, if he doesn't ask you out; he just isn't that into you. Well, you can’t argue with that science either.