Back when dating first began, many eons ago, your family chose your mate based on how many goats they had. Easy peasy, right?

Even in present times, dating in small towns is simple - you go for the person who has all their teeth and no meth problem. But in metropolitan areas, where people spend a lot of money and time to be "the best," things get complicated. Everyone, it seems, is a walking, talking "catch." But with all the problems city people have dating, it begs the question: Are we all just too damn hot?

"I was dating this guy who was perfectly fine," recalls Myrell, 26. "Good looking, steady job, nice family, the works. But I couldn't get it out my head the fact that there is always someone taller, richer, and better looking right around the corner. So I just couldn't stay with him."

Myrell's situation isn't the old case of nice guy or girl finishing last. We are talking hot and nice finishing last. With so many singles out there, the one who is just "pretty," and who would be a hot commodity anywhere else in the world, has a hard time.

"Most of us are in the middle ground where the average guy won't talk to us and the top-notch guy won't talk to us," laments Cassie, 26.

But, as we all know, looks fade. So why is it we choose biceps over knowledge of Baudelaire? Cha-chas over character?

"When you date somewhere that is not in the city," says Dave, 27, "It's a case of ignorance is bliss. If you lived in suburban Michigan and drove your car to work, you just wouldn't see as many people. Here, you see so many good looking people that it starts to affect the way you judge prettiness. You can't help it."

As Lois, 25, puts it, dating in the city is "like survival of the fittest." We're all so attractive that smaller faults must serve to weed out the weak."

But, before everyone maxs out their credit card for a few weeks of some nip and tuck action in Mexico, remember that ugly, average, and super bodacious people all get into relationships. Take the wise words of Kevin, 33, who, when asked if he thought singles were too good looking, answered, "Naw, we just think we are all too good looking."

- Dorothy Robinson, metro, Aug 19th, 2005 - New York City edition

(emphasis mine)

Everyone in the New York City has this disease. Everyone. This girl is so right-on its scary.