What Flappy Bird can teach us about the game of love

Rappler Social Media Team

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Believe it or not, but Flappy Bird can teach you a thing or two about true love!

MANILA, Philippines – Yes, it’s true, Flappy Bird has flown the coop (READ: Goodbye, Flappy Bird). But of the many things it left in its wake – broken egos, broken friendships, broken smartphones – the most important is what it can teach us about love.

Who knew Flappy Bird could offer such great relationship advice amid its cheap, 16-bit exterior? Read on and embrace our feathery friend as your brand-new love guru:

1) Don’t be afraid to fall. 

As Rappler’s Michael Josh has advised in the latest TechRap (READ: Techrap’s Flappy Bird tips and tricks), master Flappy Bird players aren’t afraid to dip from great heights. If the pipes are too low, then you really have to suck it up and take the plunge! 

In the same light, people who don’t bother to take risks also won’t go anywhere in the game of love. Do you really, really like someone but he or she doesn’t know you exist? Making your move is a scary risk, to be sure, but if it works, it’ll be so worth it. 

2) If at first you don’t succeed, try and try (and try and try and try and try) again.

No true Flappy Bird masters didn’t get to where they are without lots and lots of bad rounds. For every 80-point game they played, they had to endure many frustrating 20, 10, or even 1-point games. It’s a big challenge, and the odds are against you, so the only thing you can really do is persevere.

Likewise, you won’t be able to find the love of your life unless you go through several duds. Heartbreak is inevitable, but you’ll eventually realize that you had to go through all that pain with one person after another to know who you really, truly deserve.  

3) Anger will get you nowhere.

Flappy Bird got so popular because of all the fury it generated from gamers (READ: Flappy Bird soars to the top by infuriating everyone). In fact, all this ire even spawned a vengeful spin-off (READ: It’s time to squish that Flappy Bird)! Seriously, though, nobody ever got through a long succession of pipes with a hot head. People who mastered the game had to learn to keep their cool, because in the end, you can’t win Flappy Bird if you smash your phone against a wall.

The same goes for romantic relationships. If you have a quick temper and allow it to get the better of you, you probably aren’t the world’s best girlfriend or boyfriend. Holding a grudge against your loved one, no matter how small, is going to ruin whatever great thing you share in the long run. 

LOVE BIRDS. Who knew Flappy Bird could offer such great love advice? Image by Raffy de Guzman/Rappler.com

4) Don’t focus on other people’s successes.

Yes, Flappy Bird’s popularity lies a lot in beating your friends’ high scores. But people who get too obsessed with their competitors’ triumphs won’t have the right drive and determination to triumph themselves. Use your foes as inspiration, but not too much that you distract yourself by looking at the point count on your screen too often. 

People who get way too bitter over their friends’ successful relationships are also likely to be unsuccessful in their own romantic pursuits. If you keep comparing your love life to others’ love lives, then you’ll always see your relationships in a bad light, no matter how good they actually are. 

5)  Focus!

There are games where you can cruise through levels without paying too much attention to what’s happening. Flappy Bird is not one of them. Run someone over on Grand Theft Auto and nothing too bad happens. Breeze through Super Mario Brothers without grabbing all the coins, and it won’t matter. But take your eyes off of the Flappy Bird screen just one nanosecond and you’re dead. 

The same kind of sniper-level focus should be adopted in romantic relationships, too. Love isn’t something you breeze through messily. You need to pay close attention to your partner’s needs and vice-versa, and never take even small moments for granted. It’s those small moments, in fact, that you’ll cherish in years to come. 

6) Love is one thing, infatuation is another.

Flappy Bird is an addictive game (READ: Has Flappy Bird taken over your life?), so it’s no surprise if you find yourself reaching for your smartphone every few minutes. But if your playing has led to actual missed meetings, sleepless nights, and serious quarrels with friends, then you need to admit that you have a problem.  

Recognizing infatuation is also important when pursuing a relationship. If you truly love a person, you’ll know how to balance giving him or her rapt attention and providing him or her ample personal space. Infatuation, on the other hand, is a different matter, and can make things very bad for both parties.

7) Seize the moment. 

Finally, going back to the recent demise of the Flappy Bird app, lucky are those who were able to download it before it disappeared. Clones are bound to pop up, of course, but nothing beats having the original, controversial game safe in your device, right? It’s a piece of gaming history, whether we like it or not. 

Love is also about grabbing the opportunity before it’s too late. You think you have all the time in the world to snag the person you’ve been crushing on? Think again. Make that move before he or she disappears – or worse, before he or she shacks up with your best pal instead! – Rappler.com

What other love lessons can you pull from playing Flappy Bird? Share them here in the comments section!

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