Ben Higgins - Lauren Bushnell - Bachelor 20 - Discussion

I don't blame any of these contestants for sharing their post-show lives on SM. They are only giving their fans what they want and helps them connect to their fans. In Ben's case, it's a smart move to keep his charity work on the forefront. 
With that being said, I haven't tuned in to any BenLo SM because they don't really inspire me to do so. I just don't get the warm fuzzies for this couple like I have other Bach couples of the past. It's just different strokes, I guess. 
I don't doubt Lauren has genuine feelings for Ben...but there is something about her that says "calculating" to me. The real test for them will be a year or so from now and the media quiets down. For Ben's sake, I hope they last...but I still have some niggles of doubt as to whether Lauren really does love the simple life regular 'ole Ben from Indiana. If she were to have met Ben outside of the bubble, in the bar or bookstore for instance, I don't think she would've been that interested, personally, imo.

Based on Lauren's circle of friends and who they date, I'd say she would've definitely been into Ben. There's a difference between a guy you just hook up with and a guy she'll take home to meet her family. Ben is clearly the type she would bring to her family back in Portland. Both share the same family values and like simple things. I don't think its so far fetched that they would've dated outside the franchise. The "calculated Lauren" in what way? To me she's just a regular woman who is poised, charming, well spoken, loves to travel, try new food, have a drink with her friends, basketball games, fishing, the list goes on. I think she's pretty normal and meshes really well with Ben's simplicity. I think her living in LA throws people off but she even stated recently that she missed living somewhere that had the Portland vibe. LA was her trying something new and out of her comfort zone. Just like her going on the show and not even expecting anything out of it. Deep down I think she likes the Denver and Portland life a lot more than just living with her roommate Whitney.

The other contestants who said that they love Ben have moved on remarkably well and are actively engaged in relationships including JoJo who appeared overjoyed to be the next bachelorette.

Every relationship takes time especially those that begins with this kind of premise. Everyone perception of what's real and love are different. That's the uniqueness we have and we don't have to be clones to like what other people do

I wish I had more of an opinion on these two but all I got is blah. Or meh. Whichever works better. That probably is a good thing for them but it doesn't lead to interest from me.

Or maybe I've reached the point of only having enough room in my feed and brain to follow one couple from this show and I've reached my limit.

Truth be told, after I learned of the spoiler, I was all in with BenLo the first few episodes. I was actually starting to put a fan video together for these two which requires looking at a couple very closely and strategically putting pieces of video footage together. But after their first 1/1 and then after watching Ben's first 1/1 with JoJo, I couldn't continue. I found something in BenLo (or Lauren, rather) to be lacking for me personally. Maybe it was the "thrill of the chase" aspect of this lopsided relationship (at least during filming....it may seem more equal now post-show). 
Since I have a very high opinion of Ben, I hope she truly does like the simpler life and Regular Ben.

umngirl wrote:I wish I had more of an opinion on these two but all I got is blah. Or meh. Whichever works better. That probably is a good thing for them but it doesn't lead to interest from me.

Or maybe I've reached the point of only having enough room in my feed and brain to follow one couple from this show and I've reached my limit.

You follow a really SM active couple, I could see it being hard to have the energy for more than one of those.

I like Ben and Lauren, her polish doesn't disturb me, he is just so incredibly boring that I have no interest. I think that would have been the case if he had chosen JoJo too. I probably would have been interested if he chose Caila, but mostly because I find Caila interesting. I am interested in JoJo as the bachelorette, but would not be interested in her if she was back in normal life.

I am 44 years old, but having TA'd and done student government at a health sciences university for the last five years, I have met a lot of incredible people in their early to mid 20s. They are incredibly interesting, pursuing careers where they can help others, setting up clinics to serve the poor and underserved of the community, setting up groups to encourage healthy living, getting married and having babies (all without oh poor me stories), and yes posting on SM too. I find these people admirable and interesting. So Ben, Lauren, JoJo, Kaitlyn, Shawn, JJ, Nick, Ashley I, Andi, and all the rest who IMO want to overshare and (maybe?) be known for this show first and even live off having been on this show just aren't all that interesting to me anymore. I enjoy the show, but just don't care so much what they do afterwards.

My interest is with Art and Maddie from NZ, who give us a little and do a ton for charity, or Brooks who is leading what I consider an interesting life (not just watch me ride uber and pretend to be a model), even Josh with Advocare - I don't like the stuff but he is genuinely excited to help people improve their lives.

I like Jason and Molly less and less as they have embraced using this show to make Molly's career more and more. I hate the Kardashians and Paris Hilton, I just am not interested in people whose sole talent in life is reality tv. I will watch, I just don't give a rip afterwards.

If Ben and Lauren begin to be more about the charity work and less look how cute we are, I may get more interested. But for me, for now, I am bored with the professional members of bachelor nation.

As always, all is JMO.

stuckinsc wrote:

umngirl wrote:I wish I had more of an opinion on these two but all I got is blah. Or meh. Whichever works better. That probably is a good thing for them but it doesn't lead to interest from me.

Or maybe I've reached the point of only having enough room in my feed and brain to follow one couple from this show and I've reached my limit.

You follow a really SM active couple, I could see it being hard to have the energy for more than one of those.

I like Ben and Lauren, her polish doesn't disturb me, he is just so incredibly boring that I have no interest. I think that would have been the case if he had chosen JoJo too. I probably would have been interested if he chose Caila, but mostly because I find Caila interesting. I am interested in JoJo as the bachelorette, but would not be interested in her if she was back in normal life.

I am 44 years old, but having TA'd and done student government at a health sciences university for the last five years, I have met a lot of incredible people in their early to mid 20s. They are incredibly interesting, pursuing careers where they can help others, setting up clinics to serve the poor and underserved of the community, setting up groups to encourage healthy living, getting married and having babies (all without oh poor me stories), and yes posting on SM too. I find these people admirable and interesting. So Ben, Lauren, JoJo, Kaitlyn, Shawn, JJ, Nick, Ashley I, Andi, and all the rest who IMO want to overshare and (maybe?) be known for this show first and even live off having been on this show just aren't all that interesting to me anymore. I enjoy the show, but just don't care so much what they do afterwards.

My interest is with Art and Maddie from NZ, who give us a little and do a ton for charity, or Brooks who is leading what I consider an interesting life (not just watch me ride uber and pretend to be a model), even Josh with Advocare - I don't like the stuff but he is genuinely excited to help people improve their lives.

I like Jason and Molly less and less as they have embraced using this show to make Molly's career more and more. I hate the Kardashians and Paris Hilton, I just am not interested in people whose sole talent in life is reality tv. I will watch, I just don't give a rip afterwards.

If Ben and Lauren begin to be more about the charity work and less look how cute we are, I may get more interested. But for me, for now, I am bored with the professional members of bachelor nation.

As always, all is JMO.

Meh, not that active. An IG pic almost daily but no snapchat, periscope, not a ton of tweets outside of promoting their businesses and talking about pizza. Lol But I get that they aren't popular with many here.

I'm all for charity work but outside of that, BenLo don't offer much interest IMO.

agentcurls wrote:Truth be told, after I learned of the spoiler, I was all in with BenLo the first few episodes. I was actually starting to put a fan video together for these two which requires looking at a couple very closely and strategically putting pieces of video footage together. But after their first 1/1 and then after watching Ben's first 1/1 with JoJo, I couldn't continue. I found something in BenLo (or Lauren, rather) to be lacking for me personally. Maybe it was the "thrill of the chase" aspect of this lopsided relationship (at least during filming....it may seem more equal now post-show). 
Since I have a very high opinion of Ben, I hope she truly does like the simpler life and Regular Ben.

I wonder if the fact that the editors of the show actually showed us so little of Ben and Lauren contributed to you changing your opinion about Lauren. Now, I'm not putting you down for your opinion, I respect it. But, if their connection was so strong so early, they really had to limit what they could show of them which could have led to you to see something lacking in Ben and Lauren. The editors really did hype the Ben and JoJo relationship and downplayed the Ben and Lauren relationship.

IMO, a lot of people (generally speaking) might have a much different opinion of this couple if more of their relationship filmed during the show was shown. But if that had happened there wouldn't have been a need for a show because everyone would have known what the ending would be!

I just loved all the other vids put out there for BenLo. My friend who saw them at Lion King said they are a beautiful couple and looked so into each other. Can't wait to see the pics she took of them!

Hey- here is the great news! We have 7 couples from this franchise currently together, with 5 married. Not everyone is going to like the same vibe, but with 7 together there is variety for everyone to pick who they want to fan girl over, or not! I don't think any of the standing couples deserve any hate, they are all just people who found a person and are trying to make it work and get though life.

havadrpepper wrote:

agentcurls wrote:Truth be told, after I learned of the spoiler, I was all in with BenLo the first few episodes. I was actually starting to put a fan video together for these two which requires looking at a couple very closely and strategically putting pieces of video footage together. But after their first 1/1 and then after watching Ben's first 1/1 with JoJo, I couldn't continue. I found something in BenLo (or Lauren, rather) to be lacking for me personally. Maybe it was the "thrill of the chase" aspect of this lopsided relationship (at least during filming....it may seem more equal now post-show). 
Since I have a very high opinion of Ben, I hope she truly does like the simpler life and Regular Ben.

I wonder if the fact that the editors of the show actually showed us so little of Ben and Lauren contributed to you changing your opinion about Lauren.  Now, I'm not putting you down for your opinion, I respect it.  But, if their connection was so strong so early, they really had to limit what they could show of them which could have led to you to see something lacking in Ben and Lauren.  The editors really did hype the Ben and JoJo relationship and downplayed the Ben and Lauren relationship.

IMO, a lot of people (generally speaking) might have a much different opinion of this couple if more of their relationship filmed during the show was shown.  But if that had happened there wouldn't have been a need for a show because everyone would have known what the ending would be!

That bothers me A LOT. I get that a lot of us watch the show for pure entertainment and not a love story, but I was really looking forward to Ben and Lauren's love story and it just fell flat after the show knew that JoJo was their potential bette. It went & did a left curve. It's like the show specifically wanted BENJO supporters to arise for the sake of their new bette. I don't think after the HTD there were so many fans of BenJo. JMO. That FSD date basically made JoJo the new bette since based on the foiler we knew Lauren was f1 and Ben just told JoJo he loved her. So it was all omg poor JoJo at that point. Then all we got is Ben stressed during Lauren's upcoming dates while he's having the time of his life during JoJo's on the waterfall, popping champagne, etc. Yet post show we see Ben posting some nice things that did happen during his dates with Lauren. I get that they wanted to cast doubt but they could've shown a lot more equal stuff from both dates.

^^ they do this every year though. They almost always sacrifice the lead and the final couple at the alter of the next lead. It will likely happen to JoJo too. She'll get the shaft so they can showcase the next Bachelor. Happens all the time.

All things considered, Ben still came out wonderfully in his edit as The Bachelor. Sean was never my cup of tea, but out of 20 editions, those are the only two that came out of the show without looking like a complete Jackass (maybe Adrew Firestone too), so there is that. And, I personally still saw Ben and Lauren's love story. And for me, it was lovely to watch.