I amused myself

This discussion has moved on to whether a relationship can be described as a market transaction.
It includes such gems as "Only yesterday I found a set of wedding vows in which both parties said something along the lines of “My life is better because of you”. Which describes a voluntary free market transaction quite accurately I’d say!"

and "Indeed Tim, I think the Austrians would in fact define as a “market” transaction as something like “any voluntary exchange of scarce goods in which both parties must gain – something they prefer over what they are giving up to exchange for it” (in the case of “marriage” that would be my solitude for someone else’s company say).

If one or other parties or both do not gain in such a way then it would appear to be evidence that it is not entirely voluntary and coercion is involved."

initially I responded with "What are the chances of anyone involved in this discussion getting a girlfriend and so being able to try the theory out?"

before my favourite bit:
"I vetted my mrs for her political views before we got together (we sat in the pub talking politics).
She’s left of me so if i starting talking about us as ‘market transactions’ i’d get a slap and not much tickle"

i'm here all week