Thank you, pop culture-- for carving my romantic side

So, my example of the Romantic was indefinitely influenced from 90's pop culture, which was horrible, but what's a kid to do?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fndeDfaWCg&ob=av2e --- BSB I Want It That Way

You are my fire
The one desire
Believe when I say
I want it that way

But we are two worlds apart
Can't reach to your heart
When you say
That I want it that way

[Chorus:]
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way

Am I your fire
Your one desire
Yes I know it's too late
But I want it that way

[Chorus]

Now I can see that we're falling apart
From the way that it used to be, yeah
No matter the distance
I want you to know
That deep down inside of me...

You are my fire
The one desire
You are
You are, you are, you are

Don't wanna hear you say
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Ain't nothin' but a mistake
(Don't wanna hear you say)
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way

Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothin but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
(Don't wanna hear you say it)
I want it that way

I'm sure half of the people reading this are probably dying inside, while the other half are secretly admiring me while they reminisce about their pasts and have the same nostalgic feeling I did when I was brainstorming possible examples.

As corny and horrible as lines like "I want you to know that deep down inside of me, you are my fire, the one desire" are, I can't help but allow my heart to melt. What female wouldn't want their significant other to tell her how much she means to them? In this song, the guy(s) is/are essentially trying their best to keep the relationship going, reminding the girl who much she means to him. He actually wants to know why she's having these feelings and is willing to listen, which is contradictory to what the "typical guy" would want to do.

The Romantic in this piece is constructed through the argument of feelings or emotions over reason or fact. This song reinforces the fake idea that there is only one soul mate for us. Having heard the idea be preached over and over to me when I was young, I can't help but default to that idea and then forcing my gears to change from believing that idea to the fact that it isn't true at all. Those who have been in love and had their heart broken probably have gone through both feelings.

Not only does the song reinforce that fake idea of the soul mate, but like in "The Bridges of Madison County" when Meryl Streep has the affair with Clint Eastwood, her "soul mate", but stays married, we're inclined to believe that although the one soul mate exists for each of us, we can't expect to be able to have him/her and we have to settle with what we have.

Although this song has already begun losing its allure and will probably be forever lost in history in a decade or two, the structure of feeling created through that "innate" idea of there only being one soul mate for each person seems like it will always find its way through culture.