Dating used to be a dance of etiquette and witty banter, which brought two people closer. Dinner was rife with subtle flirtations, and the movies were filled with quick glances at one other. No loud notifications from phones. Just a romantic evening with someone who, by the end of the night, is no longer a stranger.
Romance, however, is lost in the age of online dating. It’s hard to replicate the thrill of the chase if you know you can easily find a date from a sea of faces in Tinder and Bumble. Although online dating presents a massive pool of choices, it fails to deliver the excitement of met-you-through-a-friend, can’t-replace-you dynamics of old-fashioned dating.
Online dating may be convenient, but it can also be cold, impersonal, and devoid of romance as people indiscriminately swipe left or right.
In Online Dating, Intentions Can Change in the Blink of an Eye
One way that online dating eliminates romance is that it enables excessive serial dating. Intentions falter, and people become flaky and quickly disinterested. Why? Because they can always log into the app and find a fresh fling. Replaceability is the scourge of romance.
In contrast, meeting someone outside the digital platform allows you to explore one another’s individuality. You learn things about the other person over time, giving depth to the wonderful discoveries later on. When you date someone the traditional way, you take a leap of faith. This means some emotional involvement, some form of commitment.
How do you keep them interested? Will you ever meet someone as gorgeous and high-spirited as they are?
Offline dating means limited dates, and when the pool is limited, people put in more effort and take their dates more seriously.
Both of you go out of your way to keep the relationship on a solid footing. Once you chase them, and they chase you, you know it’s for real.
In Online Dating, You Can Fall for False Profiles
The online dating scene is filled with scammers because they know many are willing to take a leap of faith to find “the one.” In 2018, the Federal Trade Commission reported that Americans lost $143 million to online romance scams. Not only were their hearts broken; their bank accounts were, too.
It’s not just the scammers you should be afraid of; you should also be aware of people who catfish and exaggerate certain qualities. It’s one thing to put your best foot forward, it’s another to lie about knowing how to tattoo, cooking mean vegetarian meals, or running a tech startup in New York.
