Isn't Online Dating for losers who can't get dates?
Online dating can mean many things to many people. Although once stigmatized by the masses, sites and mobile apps such as OkCupid, Tinder and for those willing to shed some money towards finding true love at eharmony are becoming popular with a the millennial generation. For those of you who aren't up to sped, let me catch you up. These are sites and mobile apps that let you customize your profile, from everything to basic stats (age, sex, location, etc), to what your intentions are for the site (hook-ups, relationships, "just seeing what's out there", etc) and to menial things like how you would respond to certain situations and lifestyles through questionnaires. It's like speed-dating for the virtual world and it is most definitely something to be on the look out for.
So why are kids into this? Why not go to a bar or meet people in public?
Well, in our increasingly digital age that we live in, it is not wonder these dating sites and apps are a hit. Of course, there is a pro and a con to every side. First, let's start with the pros; online dating helps aid the initial social interaction between individuals who fear rejection. Take for instance a situation in which you are in a bar, cruising for either Mr. Right or Mr. Right Now. Wherever your intentions rely, finding a partner is tricky business when you are surrounded by a public in which you deem pretty, smarter, more interesting, etc. Landing a mate is hard to do easily, especially with competition. Online dating helps to eliminate that anxiety. From the comfort of your home or on your mobile, you can lay it all out there in a profile that neatly defines who you want to portray to those perusing the dating app or site you have chosen. This type of digital dating does increase the chances in filtering out potential mates. Of course, there is a con to every pro. The cons to online dating is the authenticity of those who post their information. Many times, the hype created by a profile is often cause for problems when a real life interaction between hopeful mates ends with one, the other or both parties being disappointed. And, of course, there is a matter of safety. Are you meeting up with someone whom is harmless or dangerous? This is a gamble many are willing to take in the online dating world
What does this mean for the world of dating?
Online dating is a chance for people to become more confident in their prospects by designing a representation of themselves for the online community to decipher their worth. Speaking from personal experience, I met my current boyfriend from OkCupid. Through my experiences, I met a plethora of individuals who ranged in what they were looking for. What I thought was particularly interesting, is that many individuals claim to not want their friends, family members and the general public to know that they were using a dating app online. The stigma still persists but with the popularity of the aforementioned dating apps, this may be a thing of the past. The ideal that only "desperate" people use dating apps is phasing out as more and more individuals become curious as to what is out there. Also, the idea of meeting at bars, clubs, through community activities is becoming slightly less ideal as people seem to be wanting to know more information instantly about everyone else, which has been enabled by the wonders of the internet. I am interested in seeing whether this will popularity in digitized dating will stick and in what form it will mutate into.
#newmedia #onlinedating #futureofdating #okcupid#eharmony #tinder
#newmedia #onlinedating #futureofdating #okcupid
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