I met my ex-girlfriend in the ‘Golden Era’ of Tinder. This was in 2013 before online dating became a lottery that only the most handsome guys could win.
We broke up in 2015 when dating apps were still golden, but I’d already decided to never use them again.
This wasn’t just because I trusted my ability to meet higher-quality women in the real world. There was a psychological issue at play too.
I couldn’t articulate it at the time. This was before I knew about the top 20% of men attracting most of the right swipes. It probably wasn’t that bad during the Golden Era.
I just knew I didn’t want to be one of 1,000 guys that a woman could swipe on. I didn’t want to be judged within a split-second based on my first photo. I didn’t want to be this disposable.
Most importantly, I didn’t want to live in a world where the Tinder algorithm decides how attractive I am.
My romantic success and overall happiness levels were based on my self-confidence. I’d taught myself how to feel like the most attractive guy in any room. Women would feel this energy and buy into it…
