Recently, there has been an emergence in online dating. Many sites for dating via the Internet claim to be easy and safe - matching you with only those most compatible to you. It really makes you wonder.. what DID people do before the Internet? I know that my friends and I tend to make plans either over Facebook or text messaging. So, if all technology was to be lost for a day, what would we do? It seems to me we would be all alone.
Our activities online are what keep us going. Be it applying for jobs, communicating with coworkers, doing schoolwork (exhibit A...), coordinating with friends, booking transportation, checking the weather, ordering clothes, or finding our soulmate. eHarmony.com (or .ca for us Canadians) was a site created in August of 2000, and has since then had over 20 million members, with approximately 236 eHarmony members getting married every single day. I don't know about you, but I found this information shocking! With all the jokes surrounding online dating, I didn't know it could actually be such an effective matchmaker.
But all jokes aside, I think online dating, when taken seriously, can be a wonderful thing. With such a busy world that truly is (as i tried to illustrate in the examples above) connected at the hip to the Internet, what a better way to meet a potential partner. The technologies of matching personalities seem to work wonders, and I'm sure all the eHarmony love-birds would tell us so.
So what do you think? Would you ever create an online dating profile? Would you give love a chance to blossom via the Internet?
Not sure if you were aware, but I figured this would be an interesting fact to share - because eharmony was established by a Christian organization, they do not allow homosexual persons to create accounts and find "true love" through their website. I find this extremely insulting and surprising that in this day and age, a company as successful as eharmony is still capable of discriminating such a large demographic of people.
ReplyDeleteOnline dating seems to be extremely successful, especially in the gay culture - it's not often that you're able to tell who is absolutely gay by just having a small conversation with them, or based on first impressions. Online dating allows people to clearly establish their sexual orientation - thus removes the awkward question, "Are you gay?"before asking someone out.
For eharmony to discriminate such an important group of people (at least to the online dating world) seems silly, and honestly only shows how some Internet companies are still not as "hip" or with the times as others.
I can't see myself making an online dating profile anytime in the near future. When you're younger you are constantly putting yourself in social situations where you meet tons of new people whether it be in classes at school or going out with friends.
ReplyDeleteI think that relationships there are found and formed online can be just as meaningful as a relationship started with someone you have met in person. I know people that have met their boyfriends in online chat rooms/social networking sites and had long lasting relationships come from it. I think there are probably a lot of failed online relationships and mismatches but if you go into it with an open mind and try to get to know the people you've been matched with before passing judgement i think it can be a great social networking tool.
I recently wrote a blog entry on online identities and i think people who are taking the online dating scene seriously would feel more at ease to be themselves online and allow people to get to know each other as well as have a stronger emotional connection with someone then they might if they had met someone in person for the the first time without any previous contact.
Thanks to you both for your comments!
ReplyDeleteMizu, I was not aware of the discrimination of eHarmony.com, and I totally agree - what a backwards way of thinking. With such a large gay population, it's absurd to think eHarmony would discriminate against that demographic. Hopefully in the future they will make some much needed changes to their online dating approach.
And to respond to MyMediaBlog, I also have to agree. Online dating would be most effective when taken seriously. I know of some people who have used "Plenty of Fish" (a free online "dating" site) as a complete joke and make fun of the ongoings within the site. However, I also know of two people who have met their partner and both are now engaged to be married. It all depends on your own attitude, and the attitude of the people you meet on the sites. I wouldn't rule it out for the future, but for now being a young student, I agree also that we have an abundance of opportunities to meet people face to face.
TB I really enjoyed this post, and I think you raise some very interesting points. As a society, we've seem to integrate internet and online media into all aspects of our lives, so why not our love life? I think that with the changing and advances in online activity it seems only fitting to log in online in order to find love. Although, as you mentioned the major downfall of searching online for love, is the improper use of accounts. Many people do not take online dating seriously, and thus tend to fabricate false personality on their profiles.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Mizu, I think it's sad that eHarmony- which is known for being a public forum to find love- has discriminated against homosexuals.