The broke guy propaganda is being called out—and we're not apologising for it

He’s artsy. He writes poetry. He shows up in linen shirts with emotional damage and zero income. For decades, rom-coms and tragedies alike told us this was peak romance. But dating in 2025 has entered its pragmatic era—and we’re collectively asking: who does the broke man fantasy really serve?

Coined on TikTok and now flooding the pop culture discourse, the “Broke Guy Propaganda” refers to the romanticisation of emotionally rich, financially unstable men, usually in contrast to the charming but more pragmatic, well-dressed “rich guy”. It’s a formula older than our favourite SRK slow-mo, but it’s finally being questioned.

How 'Materialists' stirred up the conversation

Take Materialists, Celine Song’s new film starring Dakota Johnson. It’s not just a love triangle but a battleground for our evolving values. Viewers are surprisingly rooting for the rich, dependable finance guy over the “deep” but broke one. Why? Because in real life, stability is hotter than coping with cup noodles and guitar riffs at 2 am.

But it’s not just Materialists stirring the pot. The long-revered romantic classic The Notebook has resurfaced in online debates, with viewers questioning why Allie didn’t choose Lon Hammond, the wealthy, stable, and undeniably dreamy man. Instead, she ends up with Noah, the quintessential broke romantic: passionate, poetic, and financially unreliable. His love is portrayed as pure and ideal, despite his complete lack of a plan, savings, or long-term stability. It’s the exact trope that today’s dating discourse is calling out—does emotional intensity really excuse emotional (and financial) chaos?

And of course, Bollywood’s no stranger to this trope. In Pyaasa (1957), Guru Dutt gave us the original tortured artist prototype. He’s dismissed, broke, misunderstood—and, yes, magnetic. In a world where we prioritise economic stability and independence, the idea of glorifying the broke guy feels outdated. This isn’t about equating love with money—it’s about emotional labour as well.

Pop culture, as always, has mirrored this shift. TikTok has hundreds of videos dissecting the red flags in films that were once perceived as romantic. Reddit threads are filled with women rethinking the allure of the “sad boy” genre.

With great music taste comes greater trauma

“The dark and broody ones often have great taste in music, a mostly black wardrobe, and write morose poetry or are otherwise artistic. I loved them in high school and college. The ones with actual depression tend to make their girlfriends solely responsible for their happiness and well-being though, which is a lot of pressure.” - u/yougottabedumb

The princess and the dragon trope

“I think men have a trope of a knight rescuing a princess from a dragon and women have a trope of draging the man out of the pit of darkness.” - u/Siukslinis_acc

Is the one you're seeing 'Chad' enough?

“Women don't like actual sad boys e.g. they're not going for incels, socially awkward or shy men, men who are bullied. They like seeing some weakness in Chads and Chad-lites because it makes the Chads seem more attainable and human. But if you're a non-Chad, weakness is just a negative.” - u/PickleLine

Even audiences of Materialists are debating whether the rich guy’s stability makes him boring or, plot twist, emotionally mature. Does that mean romance is dead? Not at all. It just means the bar is higher. A good partner in 2025 comes with accountability, ambition, and at least some sense of financial grounding. You can have depth in personality without having debt in your account.

There’s still room for the dreamers, the artists, the ones chasing passion over paychecks. But maybe they shouldn’t be the default romantic leads anymore. Maybe we’re done applauding struggle as a virtue. Maybe we’re rewriting the love story altogether—with better lighting and better credit scores.

Lead image: Getty Images

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