Dean and his potential: A practical excuse to an irrational predicament?

A lot of people on this board talk about how Cindy just got tired of Dean, how she wanted excitement in her life and now that that's gone, she's no longer contented. You also have people who see Cindy as being a practical person who grew up, whereas Dean stayed the same. It's all certainly very interesting, and while there can maybe be no one party who is fully to blame for their eventual break-up, I believe Cindy's perspective can be dissected.

If we are to believe that Cindy was just bored with her life, then it's safe to assume that telling Dean that he has so much potential is a practical excuse to an irrational predicament; namely, the fact that she's the kind of person that needs to be constantly engaged. This can actually explain her numerous sexual encounters during her youth. Indirectly telling Dean that he could be making more money may even be a subconscious attempt at thinking it would provide a long-term cure for their problems. Even if Dean started earning more money, she was just no longer attracted to him. He was balding, gained weight, and just wasn't the same person in physical appearance as when they first met. Perhaps his charisma and demeanor remained constant, but a large part of attraction will always be physical. Men, and women, often times lose sexual interest in their partners when age does its number.

So even if Dean did internalize Cindy's words, went back to school and started earning a respectable salary, what would have happened? Does anyone here honestly believe that their relationship would suddenly pan out, or that this would be a gateway to remedying their situation? This was instinctual for Cindy, as she assumed that perhaps more money would mean a nicer house, car, furniture, etc, which translates to a quick release of endorphins—all transient and fleeting and ultimately devoid of any meaning.

Cindy is the kind of person who will never be happy with her life. She will always want more. This isn't necessarily bad. She has drive, ambition, and wants to accomplish things in her life, and so she's projecting her drive onto Dean, because she feels that her way of life is virtuous and proper, and his way is "childish" and immature. Dean wasn't a walk in the park, but it had nothing to do with his lack of ambition.

Baseness aside, what we have here is a conflict of perspective. Dean was content with minimalism because tangible goods did not dictate his happiness, whereas Cindy, perhaps due to her workplace environment or just life in general, felt that more money would translate to more happiness. Money provides security and stability, but outside of this basic need, it doesn't do much else.

When Cindy talked about potential, what she meant was, given her social status and physical appearance, she could have been doing much better than Dean. He didn't pick up on the cues.

Essentially it boils down to the fact that men and women love differently. Dean loves Cindy for who she is. Cindy loves Dean for what he can provide (looks or money—he has neither now).