Family Counseling Blog - Dating Apps - How They've Changed Our Perception of Dating

Dating Apps: How They’ve Changed Our Perception of Dating

For some, online dating has led to wonderful relationships and their very own happily ever after. Joining a dating app, adding your best profile pic, and writing your life summary in five-hundred characters or less has become the new foreplay of dating and is bringing together many happy couples every day. For others, dating apps feel like a job. Trying to find the right words that will help you to stand out above the rest, taking multiple pictures and editing them so potential swipers do not see that pimple that will not clear up takes up more time than just striking up a conversation at a local bar. Either way you look at the situation, dating apps have changed society’s view of dating. For better or worse; You decide.

Old School Dating makes Meeting New People Unlikely

Old school dating made it difficult for the average person to meet people outside of the area they live in. Many attractions began at work, school church, or with the help of family and friends. Dating apps, quite literally, opens the door to a whole new world of prospective suitors. This has taken away the feeling of familiarity with a planned meet-up. In the past, hometown gossip could help you weed out anyone with poor intentions, but online daters only have social media, phone calls, and text messages to help decide if dating is the next step.

Finding a Date Does Not Equate to Finding a Match

Dating Apps do not require you to stop swiping because you set up a date. In fact, you may find that dating apps make meeting new people easy. Therefore, you might meet several people a week. This can lead to anxiety and trust issues for those who have been on a date, was interested in the match, and then never hear from their date again. With the volume of people using dating apps, many are not willing to put in the time and effort needed to get to know you and make that connection. Instead, they quickly move to the next person, leaving you high and dry, often with no explanation.

The Idea of Courting is Foreign to the New Generation

Technology and Dating Apps have reshaped how you look at dating. Traditional gender roles of dating and the old-fashion definition of dating have gone out the window. The new generation has an expectation of equality, fun, and conversation. The idea of conversation, and even a date, could be an exchange of text messages or face-timing over the internet. The days of a man picking up the girl, opening doors, and paying for dinner are a thing of the past. Today you might meet a date at a coffee shop, split the bill, and exchange social media accounts. There is no wrong or right way of dating, but one thing is for sure, good or bad dating apps have changed the game for those of you who are still playing.