Last Friday my coworkers and I discussed our opinions toward all those dating applications out there: Tinder, Match, E-Harmony, OkCupid, Plentyoffish, Grindr, and the like. Being open-minded, 20-something-year-olds, I was surprised at the amount of hesitation some of them had towards online dating. As such, I want to present my coworkers’ common arguments against online dating, and reveal why they’re flawed.
Coworker 1: “Online dating is shallow! I’d rather meet someone in real life, like at a coffee shop, university, or through a friend.”
Me: That’s fair. But if you’re busy, you can’t constantly hang out at all the coffee shops and universities in the hopes of finding someone, nor can you expect your friends to always set you up. Dating applications and sites allow you to be connected 24/7 to a place where others are actively looking. You can match and chat with someone at any time in any place.
Coworker 2: “Online dating is for people who are there to hook up. Creeps only use these services.”
Me: You could use it merely for hooking up, but who’s to say that you can’t meet your life partner through one of these apps or sites? And yes, there are creeps who use online dating, but there are also creeps in real life!
Coworker 3: “All the people you meet on Tinder and other apps tailor their pictures to make it look like they’re better looking than they actually are.”
Me: That’s definitely possible, and a good strategy. But before you go on a date with him or her, you can ask them to send you additional pictures, check out their other social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and the like, or send live pictures or videos over Snapchat to get a better idea of how they look.
Coworker 4: “When you meet someone online, you don’t get to know who they actually are. They could be a psychopath and you wouldn’t have a clue until you’ve met them.”
Me: True, but you can survey their personality over a few days or weeks by messaging them before actually going on a date with them. You could even call them on the phone before going out with them. It’s still completely possible that they’re hiding some crazy aspect of themselves, but you’ll have a better sense of who they are after several lengthy conversations.
Coworker 5: “Online dating apps and websites take away the need to go out and socialize and meet people the old-fashioned way.”
Me: Yes, technology has changed many ways we go about our lives. It’s changed how we navigate, converse, do business, and how we date. Instead of opposing online dating, why not get with the times and take a chance?
Dating apps and websites are not new, and their popularity is continuing to rise. Since you’ve probably already thought about what it would be like to browse Tinder, Plentyoffish, or Grindr, why not give it a shot? You have nothing to lose.
