This is what I sometimes hear from the actors on TVD in interviews,Julie Plec/Kevin Williams or even some media artikulo to explain the big DE tagahanga base.
Why does these people think that this is the main reason all these fans want to see DE together is because we always want the "other" romance than what is currently on the show? I don't think that is true.
Let me tell you about my experience. I am not a teenager, I am older. I first saw the TVD promos when it was first coming out. I was excited. I pag-ibig a good supernatural/vampire pag-ibig story with some action. Same as I was for Twilight.
Well let me just say that I tuned in to TVD for 1-2 of the first episodes and I was bored with how Stefan/Elena was portrayed of getting together. Bored. I stopped watching the ipakita and I only came back to TVD in Fall 2010 because I saw on YT a video someone made of the interaction of Damon/Elena. I was thinking to myself "Is this the same show"? So I gave it another try.

Back to my point. I didn't have any preconceived notions of thinking that Elena should be with Damon. I saw the romance between Stefan/Elena and was just like "sweet but bland".
Today I see how mean, destructive, selfish and evil Damon was when he first came to Mystic Falls. I know his story, his struggles and how he is trying to change all because of coming in contact and getting to know Elena.
Now that is a positive thing and shows a real situation that a person can get behind. We all make mistakes, some of us don't want to admit they are mistakes but eventually , if you have someone there to push you, you make better choices.
That is real and that is Damon.
All I had seen of Stefan is he was good, tries hard to be human, looks out for Elena and her fam/friends and turned his vampire life around way before Damon did.
I did't see any struggle. I only know of his blood addiction from his stories and that one episode in Season 1. I also only see how he sometimes acts toward Damon. madami like a judgemental father than a understanding brother.
Anyway I see these two guys and I see Elena's interaction with them both.
Elena is much madami free, relaxed, passionate and like a young girl ( which she is) when she is around Damon than she is around Stefan. I understand Stefan is madami conservative and Damon is madami relaxed BUT Elena was a much madami relaxed girl before her family tragedy and that is who she was for the last 17 yrs. So I see her eventually getting back to who she was before, and dealing with her tragedy in a better way around Damon. They complement each other. They can fight, be truthfull and still have that understanding, bond, and connection without holding on to hurt feelings.
So My main point is that Stefan is fine for the type of guy she needed right after her family death ( calm, steady, secure) but sooner rather than later she will need/want to be who she originally was.
That is why I just don't understand that phrase "We want what we can't have or damo is alway greener" that some people throw out. We don't want DE because Damon is HOT, sexy and fun. That is not the case in THIS TV show, though he is HOT, sexy and fun. Both guys are fine as boyfriends for Elena but they each are needed for different stages of Elena life/situation. Elena can still pag-ibig both but in different ways. One as a young secure pag-ibig and one as a strong, passionate, wild, obsessive type of love. I think that Elena is a lot like Damon in that once they pag-ibig someone TOTALLY (the person completes them at that time in life) they totally become obsessed with being with that person.
Elena loves Stefan because he gives her what she needs right now but she doesn't really lets down her guard, is brutally honest or gets relaxed like she does with Damon.
Damon/Elena ,I feel, complements and completes each other in a deep way. Not superficial.