Online Dating: Only Getting Better
- Sunday, April 21 2013 @ 09:36 am
- Contributed by: Jet
- Views: 963
“I don’t know about getting back into online dating,” Jennifer, newly single, said. “I tried it once and it was a disaster. The one guy who seemed interesting and replied to me turned out to be a complete jerk in person.”
Curious, I asked her when this debacle occurred.
“Hmm, I guess it was awhile ago,” she said. “Maybe 2005? 2006? Huh, a little less recent than I thought.”
The world may not have been the Dark Ages a mere seven or eight years ago, but the truth is that the online dating world has changed since then - and for the better.
For one thing, the stigma surrounding the idea of online dating has receded. It’s not considered a “last resort”; in fact, it’s often the first place people turn when they’re looking to dip their toe back into the dating pool. Online dating sites have always been a great option for those with strange work schedules, diminished social networks or a little bit of shyness; they still are, but now they’re home to everyone else, too. With these greater numbers comes even more possibilities.
Everyone has heard a story about a date that revealed a deception or two: that the person didn’t look like their picture, or their intentions or personality were different from how they’d been online. To be sure, there are still those who are less than truthful online today, but the world is also a wiser place. There are no shortage of safety tips for meeting someone new for the first time, and most people are on the lookout for basic red flags. Many dates might still fudge a bit on their height or weight, but the majority don’t take it further than that - and if they did, they now have less of a chance of getting away with it.
There’s no guarantee that if Jennifer tries out online dating today, she’ll find success. However, she might find that the online dating scene looks far more promising than it did all those years ago. If, like Jennifer, you’re contemplating getting back into the online dating scene, ask yourself: are your expectations out-of-date?
Curious, I asked her when this debacle occurred.
“Hmm, I guess it was awhile ago,” she said. “Maybe 2005? 2006? Huh, a little less recent than I thought.”
The world may not have been the Dark Ages a mere seven or eight years ago, but the truth is that the online dating world has changed since then - and for the better.
For one thing, the stigma surrounding the idea of online dating has receded. It’s not considered a “last resort”; in fact, it’s often the first place people turn when they’re looking to dip their toe back into the dating pool. Online dating sites have always been a great option for those with strange work schedules, diminished social networks or a little bit of shyness; they still are, but now they’re home to everyone else, too. With these greater numbers comes even more possibilities.
Everyone has heard a story about a date that revealed a deception or two: that the person didn’t look like their picture, or their intentions or personality were different from how they’d been online. To be sure, there are still those who are less than truthful online today, but the world is also a wiser place. There are no shortage of safety tips for meeting someone new for the first time, and most people are on the lookout for basic red flags. Many dates might still fudge a bit on their height or weight, but the majority don’t take it further than that - and if they did, they now have less of a chance of getting away with it.
There’s no guarantee that if Jennifer tries out online dating today, she’ll find success. However, she might find that the online dating scene looks far more promising than it did all those years ago. If, like Jennifer, you’re contemplating getting back into the online dating scene, ask yourself: are your expectations out-of-date?
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