Beck and Beck-Gernsheim (1995) describe love in an individualised world as...

• A. Love is a static force guiding all relationships
• B. In an individualised world, love is the place to find oneself and connect; constant seek for love
• C. In an individualised world, love is experienced as a rational calculation about finances
• D. Love is irrelevant to personal identity

Answer: (C)

In late modern, individualised societies, love is shaped by personal choice and the practical realities of life, including finances. Beck and Beck-Gernsheim argue that relationships are negotiated as people weigh what they can secure for themselves and their future, so love often appears as a rational calculation about finances—assessing whether a partnership provides economic stability, resources, and security as part of deciding whether to commit. It’s not seen as a fixed, timeless force, nor solely as a space for self-discovery, and it certainly isn’t considered irrelevant to who we are. So describing love as a rational calculation about finances best captures how personal autonomy and economic considerations influence modern intimate life.