Can two people really fall in love, sight unseen? Testing the truism that love is blind is the premise of the eponymous Netflix original show, which has entered its fourth season — and which my husband, who is a licensed therapist, and I have been watching eagerly. Reality TV is, at its worst, lurid; at its best, it teaches us something about human nature and psychology.
For the unfamiliar, the show "Love is Blind" is a so-called "social experiment" where single men and women meet, date, and get engaged — all before meeting in person. Their dates take place in small rooms known as "pods," which have a sparkling blue wall that is shared with another pod. After 10 days of "pod dating," within which contestants can hear but not see each other, the contestants are expected to propose to each other. Only then do they get to see each other in person for the very first time. It doesn't stop there: Once they meet in person, the new couples go on a romantic getaway together to see if there's a physical connection. If there is, they live together, and then plan their wedding, all within the span of weeks.
