Remember the day’s when dating was easy? Yeah me neither. The whole ordeal can be awkward, funny, frustrating, exhilarating and mad depressing all at the same time. But wait, now you can experience all this at an even faster rate all thanks to technology and the internet! Good or bad it’s here to stay. This is what it’s like to be dating in a digital world.
With the invention of the internet, the dating game has changed. The world has become so connected that you can connect with someone from anywhere in the world at the click of a button.
If you ask any couples today how they met there’s a good chance they’ll say online or through an app and no one would blink an eye. Rewind 20 or so years ago and saying you met someone online was often met with reactions like “oh…”, “it is tough out there..” or “I hope they’re not a weirdo” and “*gasp* you met online?!”
Gone are the days where dating online is considered taboo. Unless you’re my parent’s of course. That conversation always went something like this:
Me: Yes, we met online.
Mom: (Frowns) Online? Why online? There’s so many people out there why you need to meet online hah?
Me: (grr) Lots of people uses the internet or apps to meet people now, it’s just how it is..
Dad: Really? I don’t think so. There’s a lot of crazy people on the internet..
Me: I guess I’m on of them then, geeze really it’s no big deal.
Mom: Why don’t you join a church group and meet some nice people from there?
Me: (Lies) You know what it’s my mistake, I actually met her outside the nightclub, we we’re both tipsy so we exchanged numbers and now we’re going on a date, my memory must be getting bad in my old age.
Mom: Oh, ok. It’s good you met her in real life, you never know with those online dating things.
Me: ……..
For the most part, the stigma from the current generation is mostly gone. I think that’s a good thing. Even though I don’t think the internet has made dating itself any easier, it does have some benefits.
THE GOOD
Imagine you were born 40 years ago, in a small town, far from major cities. Your dating options would be limited to the people in your town and surrounding vicinity. Odds are you’d end up dating someone local or move somewhere else and possibly meet someone there.
Fast forward to today. If you want to meet someone new you can pop open your phone, open an app and view hundreds dating options, near or far.
Dating today allows you to connect with people, anywhere, anytime, just about instantly.
How amazing is that? We live in a digital world and that means we’re more connected than ever. Distance isn’t really an issue anymore.
You Have Almost Unlimited Options
The pool of people you can date is no longer limited to solely the people living near you. Tired of looking at the same faces or running into the same people in your city? Hop online and see what the next city has to offer.
Meet People Outside of Your Circle
The amount of people have in your circle and extended circle tends to cap out at some point. Especially if you’re like me and have lived in the same city all your life. After college and getting a steady job, you’ve likely met all your friends, friends of friends, and aren’t meeting new people on a regular basis any longer.
With online dating, you have another avenue to meet people outside of your social network. Very useful, especially the older you get as you just don’t have the opportunity to meet new people sometimes.
You Can Find Someone Instantly
I’m not saying you’ll find the love of your life instantly, but you can find someone who you might want to date at the swipe of a screen.
If you really wanted to you could probably go on a date with someone new every week. Not the best thing to do for your wallet perhaps but dating is simply a game of numbers when it comes down to it. The more people you meet, the more chances you’ll have to meet someone who could be the right one.
THE BAD
Technology is almost always a double-edged sword. For every benefit comes an equal disadvantage. The digital dating world is no different.
An Emphasis On External Appearance and Looks
If you’re a person blessed with good looks, amazing. You’ll have no shortage of people wanting to date you, in real life or in the digital world. If you’re like the rest of the 99% of the population then it might be a lot tougher.
The truth is it’s what’s on the inside that count’s, unless you’re on a dating app…
People judge whether they like you or not usually within looking at your first picture. Everything that is you is being judged in under 5 seconds flat. Pretty superficial, but that’s how these dating apps work unfortunately. Yes attraction is important, no doubt about that, but there’s a lot more to people than what’s on the surface as I’m sure we all know.
Too Many Options
Having options in dating is good, but having too many options is not. Click To TweetI think that this is a major drawback of online dating. With all the options available it’s easier to take for granted the people you do get to date.
Date isn’t going how you want? Who cares you can always find someone else. The person you’re dating does something you hate? Toss ’em out, plenty of fish in the see, just move on to the next person in your matches.
THE UGLY
Bored Dating
Online dating is almost like a video game these days. People go on dating apps when they are bored. Let’s see how many likes I can get in ten minutes…
The ease of dating almost makes it trivial. Dating should be fun, but it’s not like watching TV and is not something to do just because you’re bored.
Going Digital While Your In A Public Setting
How many people do you see in restaurant’s or bars with their head down in their phones swiping away? It’s everywhere.
We might be able to connect with anyone from anywhere at anytime, but what about connecting in real life too. Even with improvements in technology, we can be less connected to the people around us than ever before.
The person sitting beside you might be the person you should ask on a date but you’re too busy on your phone to notice. Don’t be that person.
Nudes and Di*k Pics
Mutually agreed pics, fine no problem, let love loose. Unsolicited nudes or di*k pics, just don’t. You do know that those pics you send are going to everyone and their mama right?
THE FUTURE
Technology has changed the way we interact, there’s no doubt about that. We can meet people online, talk to them and get to know them without even meeting them in person first.
It’s both a blessing and a curse. For myself, I think despite all the downsides to online dating, at the end of the day it’s a good option. If used properly it’s another way to meet people and when it comes down to it any avenue to meet new people is a good thing.
When technology starts to disconnect rather than connect people is when it can become harmful. Click To TweetWho know’s where we might be in the future. Maybe you’ll be able to go on “virtual” dates at some point, we really don’t know. Whatever the case dating at its core will always be the same. How you meet someone will change, but everything else after that is always the same. Meet someone, get to know them, love them or hate them, find a better fit or count yourself lucky to have me the right one.
~ LET’S CHAT ~
What are you thought’s on dating in a digital world? Have you had good or bad experiences? Looking forward to seeing what you have to say. Let me know in the comments!
~ LET’S CONNECT! ~
Don’t forget to say hello on Twitter @HeyPSbarbosa or if you’re more visually oriented come follow me on Instagram @psbdaily I’ll be sure to do the same.
If you like what you’ve read and want to stay current be sure to subscribe to the blog so you’ll never miss a post. I always love hearing from people so don’t be shy to leave a comment or just say hello, happy pursuits!
Paolo
14 Comments
I’ve never tried online dating but I have heard my share of horror stories from friends haha! There’s also a lot of unsolicited photos so thank you for acknowledging that haha!
I don’t know if I would be an online dating kind of girl to be honest – I know a lot of my friends met their other half online but I don’t know if I’d have the same luck to be honest! 🙂
Don’t worry you haven’t missed out much, maybe on some dating horror stories to tell but that’s probably for the better 😂 Better to hear about them then have them happen to you lol
I was only on a dating app for about 15 minutes because I was curious before receiving a d*ck pic and now I’m just over it all together.
I laughed out loud reading the conversation between you and your parents. It’s so true, and you know I remember even 5 years ago, people would whisper to me…’we met online but please don’t tell anyone. Just say it was a bar’. And I’m thinking…but why is a bar so much better?
I have a terrible dating track history and I have currently given up on dating. I just don’t attract ‘normal’ guys, which maybe suggests I’m crazy lol! My experience of online dating though, is it can be quite flaky. And it’s hard deciphering whether they are serious or just looking for fun. Awesome post!
Totally has changed from even 5 years ago true. Exactly lol If anything at least inline you have a little background info 😌 Yes flaky for sure good point, easy to ghost or not actually meet up. Well I hope when you do get back into dating you luck changes and you find a “normal” guy 😀 They’re out there somewhere! Thanks for reading and the input, always appreciated Laura!
It will be interesting dating as a blogger. I know if a guy told me he had a blog, I would be playing detective straight away.
I’ve had ghosting before and it’s awful. Here’s to hoping I find a “normal” guy online, or if my teenage ideas come true, I will just magically bump into him at a coffee shop 😛
Haha that would probably be true. Can’t help but check out things online if you know someone has it. Unless you have an iron will of course.
Chance meetings can happen, you never know 😛
“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” —Coco Chanel
Know the Do’s and Don’t’s About Fashion
Pleas visit our “FashionStation” site to know the tips about fashion to look prettier inside and out! thank you! 🙂 https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffashionstation399952366.wordpress.com%2F2018%2F03%2F03%2Ffashion-station%2F&h=ATPys0OhlonCh4ZAne-yEnSAh9LDsglBFpeuqDh-3jieUAo289X57c3jQkFhBrtxUxU-qjkWoTAq1FmSMs1FXTIQjlbpPWb-x9r7NoNnXdal3Q8aKzpX
So true. I met my partner online – but not on a dating website, we met by accident – and we had to lie to our families about how we met as they would never accept it or understand. What should be more important is that somebody has amazingly found somebody they would never have met if it weren’t for the internet, and should be happy they’ve met somebody right for them that they love.
Online doesn’t make a difference, it’s just a platform – just like a bar, a restaurant or work is. It’s the foundation, not the whole concept.
Great post as always!
thank you for this piece of information, its helpful
Vicky recently posted…Girls & Guys – Idle Game MOD APK 1.65 (Unlimited Gems, Coins)
Great article, though check Tazawaj which is the best app for dating with Muslim partner’s and the app is design is so easy and awesome and works perfectly as well…
Muslim Dating App recently posted…20 Tips to Find Love on Tazawaj in 2020
good article, It’s really wonderful. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Hey, I really like this blog and it was very helpful for me to thank you so much. Also, check out our blog.
Modly recently posted…How to Get Back My Garena Free Fire Account (Best Easy Way) 2020
You way to represent your content is very understandable and amazing. You share awesome information about this topic.
Manveer recently posted…Torque Burnout MOD APK 3.1.2 (Unlimited Money) Download