Olivia Rodrigo is right: you shouldn't date anyone who wants to go into space. But I have other red flags | Arwa Mahdawi

The pop star has reminded us to shun would-be astronauts such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. But what about people who hang toilet paper the wrong way?

Olivia Rodrigo does not want to hear about Uranus. Or your planned trip to Mars, for that matter. The pop star recently told Netflix that she has an “oddly specific question” that she asks guys on first dates. “I always ask them if they would want to go to space … If they say yes, I don’t date them,” Rodrigo explained. “I just think if you want to go to space, you’re a little too full of yourself.”

Amen to that. Obviously, if you’re an astronomer, a passion for space travel makes sense. But interplanetary adventures seem to have turned into the ultimate status symbol for obscenely rich individuals jaded by their ability to buy anything on Earth. Certain rocket ship enthusiasts also seem less interested in advancing science and more interested in having a wider territory to colonise and monetise.

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Olivia Rodrigo is right: you shouldn't date anyone who wants to go into space. But I have other red flags | Arwa Mahdawi

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