So something has been kicking around the back of my head recently, and I thought it has finally come time to get it on paper. Er, monitor.
Anyhow, with my sister's recent nuptials I got to thinking about the wild and wacky world of dating. I find it interesting that in our modern interwebby times, so many people have turned to online dating. There's nothing wrong with it; it clearly worked out smashingly for my sister, but hell, she's a rare success story from what I've heard. It's sad really, people who I know deep in the depths of my heart are fantastic catches exchange information on successes and failures of the various dating sites they've used. It's like exchanging information on car repair places or dentists.
Is this what we've become? Are people getting to the point where we get everything online? I know that I love the convenience of the 'net: I can get shoes, a computer, books, guitars, and anything else that can be bartered or swapped for. But is this really where we should be looking for love? Plus there are seemingly tons of sites to choose from. But I suppose the thing that almost weighs most on my mind is: if all these wonderful people I know are using these dating sites, and apparently not having any luck, what the hell chance does a guy like myself have? I mean, the folks I know who are using some of these dating sites are good looking, smart, have killer jobs that they love, and are just plain altogether good and interesting people. How is it that they're having to use an online personals site? Is this just the trend that is emerging in our more and more web-reliant times, or are people just giving up on more "traditional methods" of meeting people more quickly?
Stop and think about that for a hot second... fifteen years ago (not that it really applied to me at the time) people who were still single in their late twenties and on were probably not running off to the newspaper to post personal ads in the papers. Is this just another logical step? I mean, I know a thing or two about social networking and stuff like that, but goddamn, I just can't feature it.
So riddle me this, dear readers, is this whole online dating thing just the furthering of our internet reliance, or is it an instance of people giving up on the good ol' traditional means in favor of something new?
3 comments:
Hmm, I'd say a little of both. I haven't done the online dating thing yet, but I can definitely identify with those who might think there's no one in their immediate area for them. So yeah, people might want something new; the possibility of meeting someone from a different town or state, and taking that route would definitely mean being very reliant on the internet, at least initially.
Part of the problem I think is also just the lack of places to meet people new.
Back in high school and college we had a open pool of available singles that you were forced to meet and interact with, and it was completely socially acceptable to hit on girls you meet in school.
Where do you spend the majority of your day now? At work. You have a much smaller pool of available singles, since most of your coworkers are probably in relationships. Plus, even if you happen to luck out to be working with a single, attractive woman, there's the whole problem of sexual harassment. It's hard to meet possible relationships at work.
So what's left? Bars? Bars might be a good place to meet a fling, but how many relationships do you know of that started in a bar.
So you're basically left with friends of friends and chance encounters. If neither of those work out, then there's the internet.
So, that was a long way of saying that I think you're right, that the turn to internet dating is mainly because of the lack of ways to meet people otherwise.
http://authorityonbaddates.blogspot.com/
Here are a handful of stories of my experience with online dating. There are many others I need to take the time to post - but it's a good start.
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