Shout out to Scarlet for today’s blog post. Will return shortly with another life update (and hoping to finally get this Legoland post published–be on the lookout!). 

Introduction

Dating in today’s world, much like everything else around us, has become digital. I still think of those days when meeting someone was about meeting in a cute coffee shop instead of swiping right on their dating profile. While I am glad to have met Kyle before modern dating culture became all about dating apps, it’s hard to ignore the pros of this setup, especially considering the Covid-19 situation.

As more and more people find themselves dating online, it’s important to look at both the pros and cons of modern dating apps to get a better understanding of whether it’s the right move for the upcoming generations, or if we should return to having our dear friends set us up on dates. 

Pros Of Modern Dating Apps

More Convenience And Options

There is so a lot of comfort and convenience that comes with online dating. In our day-to-day lives, we don’t always find the time to stop and smell the roses anymore, which means there are less opportunities for us to actively find people to date. 

Modern dating apps are like a contractor who finds the right matches for us, introduces us to this huge dating pool, and gives us an opportunity to get to know people from all over the world, giving us a chance to find the love of our life from anywhere on this earth! What a truly bewildering time to live in. 

Plus, more options mean that we can get to know more people in a shorter span of time, making it a perfect fit for our busy schedules. Whether you want to find a male escort in London, or spend an evening with someone who likes art, modern dating apps give you options to conveniently browse through. And, who wouldn’t like that?

Empowering Sense Of Self

Modern dating apps have redefined the way we view dating, and our self worth that we wrongfully associate with it. While in simpler times, the rejection hit harder, today it has become easier to not take rejections so personally. We all understand that sometimes things aren’t meant to be and it’s better to walk away than obsess over what went wrong. 

Having so many options readily available to us can also give us hope. The idea that there’s no one else apart from the person that we were dating before is a fallacy and we know that we will find someone who’s more compatible with us sooner or later. This offers us an empowering sense of self that isn’t dependent on someone’s approval to feel good about ourselves.

Ability To Find Tailored Matches

Online dating apps work like little genies in the lamp, giving us exactly what we seek! Just like Amazon offers filters on the kind of products you want, modern dating apps help you find the perfect match by tailoring your dating pool based on your choices. Whether you want your partner to be the same age as you, 0r have similar interests like football or beaches, you can easily find the perfect match by simply using the filter settings. Does this take romance out of the equation? Maybe a little. But it also offers you an opportunity to find a romantic partner that’s more compatible with you!

Cons Of Modern Dating Apps

Inability To Make A Decision

As much as it seems that having options is a great thing, decision fatigue can creep in fast. The overwhelming amount of responses to your dating profile, with everyone coming in with a cheesy pickup line of their own, can be tough to navigate. Often, you may find yourself going months without a date, or ghosting everyone after chatting non-stop for a week.

Prevalent Fraudulent Activities

While modern dating apps bring convenience to your life, they also bring chaos. It isn’t unheard of to find cases of catfishing, harassment, ransom, and cyber bullying on these apps. Many people with ill intentions find themselves on these apps, trying to gain something from those who are actually trying to find love. This dishonesty on these scammers’ part can cause distrust in people looking to find a relationship and may probe them to steer away from these modern dating apps.

Superficiality And Lack Of Authenticity

Modern dating apps are useful in helping you find people tailored to your personal preferences, but they’re also extremely visual. Before you get to meet someone IRL, you’re flooded with their pictures, creating a prejudice before even getting to know them. This can taint your experience of getting to know someone organically or foster a deeper connection with them, beyond their looks. It can also put pressure on you to look and act a certain way to be liked more, leading to a lack of authenticity on your part.

A Penny For Your Thoughts

The use of modern dating apps is increasing, and with it the possibility of finding the right match. But just like there are two sides of the coin, the culture of modern dating apps also brings with it a feeling of overwhelm and decision fatigue, because of our tendency to think the grass is greener on the other side. Navigating the labyrinth of modern dating requires patience and a good sense of humor on our part. When we use the apps in a productive way, we can find what we’re looking for. It’s important to remember that we are all flawed, so finding a perfect match is not realistic. Start by just trying to find yourself a person that makes you feel special enough to share a life with!

Photo by Katerina Holmes