The Online Dating Generation: 7 Ways Online Dating is Shifting the Dating Dynamic
Social media and online communication is prevalent in our society and it has made its way into the world of dating. It is as easy as swiping right, engaging in a flirtatious banter back and forth, then arranging a meeting. I know that in the 20-something age group, there are so many apps at our disposal such as Tinder, Okcupid, Zoosk, Match, and so many more, making it much easier to “approach” people. Is this new form of dating changing the dynamic of dating? I would argue that there is no doubt that it is, but in what ways?
- Men and women are less likely to start conversations in real life since digital communication is far more common.
Many people will likely forgo interacting with others instead, they turn to the company of Netflix and sweatpants. When people are out in public, standing in line for coffee, or walking across campus, they are always on their phones, deterring conversation. The likelihood of approaching someone in public and receiving their phone number is almost non-existent within our generation.
2. You don’t know if the person you are talking to is who they say they are.
Have you ever seen the MTV show Catfish? Need I say more?
3. The spontaneity is lost and therefore lacks romance.
Meeting a significant other is normally spontaneous; personally, my last two relationships started with impromptu meetings. One I met at a concert, the other at a party. With online dating, this chance meeting and instant connection is lacking the fun how-you-met stories are dissipating.
4. The pool of potential dates is expanded.
People originally were limited to their immediate network and individuals who were set-up with them through friends. The pool of bachelors and bachelorettes was drying up. Now many are able to date people they never would have met in everyday life.
5. Online dating can be significantly more direct than relationships typically start out, #justlookingtohookup.
People on dating apps are known to start conversations asking to hook up. There is an entire Reddit sector dedicated to screenshots of people’s awful, yet entertaining, conversations. Even if that is someone’s main objective when meeting in a night out, the conversation rarely ever starts with asking for sex. People are able to be more forward with online dating than they ever would be face-to-face.
6. Dating has become more superficial.
When deciding whether or not to date someone, people start with an initial attraction but it becomes so much more than that. However, with dating sites, people make decisions on potential suitors based on photos alone. It is as easy as swiping right and left in interest or disinterest without any further thought.
7. Online dating is making dating less traditional.
Years ago people met in high school or college, had very few relationships, and married their sweetheart. For example, both my parents and grandparents met in early high school, were dating for years, and married at a young age. With the emergence of online dating, casually dating many people is popular and may even be the new sport.
Online dating is changing the dynamic of dating and no one can deny it. It is still to be debated whether or not this is good or bad, but it is drastically different from dating in the past. There are some definite perks to the ease that comes along with online dating but the love stories and traditional relationships are dwindling. The real question is: how will it sound when one day you say, “Well kids, it all started when your dad swiped right.”
