Internet Dating

By The Twirlit Team on November 25th, 2008

When dating websites were first introduced, most people looked down on meeting people over the Internet. It was tantamount to recruiting a matchmaker—the last refuge of the desperate and the socially maladjusted. Good news! Times have changed, and changed dramatically. There is no longer any social stigma to admitting you met your significant other over the Internet. In fact, the Internet is a great way to meet potential mates.

There are many advantages to Internet dating. One advantage of the Internet is that you can filter prospective mates by interests and values. Another advantage of dating over the Internet is that you have the opportunity to pre-screen large numbers of potential mates. One of the greatest obstacles involved in dating the old fashioned way is that unless you make a full-time job of it, is that you just don’t meet that many people. Thus, it is hard to be selective unless you live in a particularly large city and can go out on the town and meet two or three potential mates a week. The Internet gives you a convenient way to meet many people, and pre-screen them before you meet them.
Some dating sites offer advanced features so that you can get a list of potential people to contact that are pre-screened according to their interests and values based on their answers to rather intensive questionnaires. While this may seem clinical and not terribly romantic, it can be ideal if, for example, you have particularly quirky interests or tastes and you’re looking for just the right match.
Another interesting aspect of Internet dating is that you can search a larger geographical area. While the idea of mail order spouses is innately creepy, and the sites that cater to those seeking international matchmakers are often creepy and even bogus, there are plenty of ordinary dating sites populated by normal people that have a tremendous geographical reach. Bear in mind that long-distance dating is wildly impractical. You should not start flirting online with someone unless geographical issues can be resolved relatively quickly. The Internet is an excellent way to introduce yourself to people if you are planning on moving to another locale, however. It’s a good feeling to have dates lined up before you even arrive!

A disadvantage of the Internet is that you can’t really be sure what people look like based on their photo. That may sound shallow and superficial, but getting to know someone you met on the Internet is a two-phased process. First, you may get to know them via exchanging emails, but romantic chemistry depends on physical factors, not just shared interests. Pheromones need to mix; there needs to be a physical attraction for a true spark to happen. Therefore, it’s important to not let yourself get too excited about Internet dates you haven’t met in person yet. Another important thing to keep in mind: don’t lie. Don’t lie about your age, your weight, your job, or your interests. You will be found out when you actually meet someone. It’s a very bad mating strategy.