Online Dating Is the New Trend, Research Paper Example

The internet has changed many things about modern living. We are ultimately able to access our wants and needs at the click of a button, and these items and services are delivered to us quickly. As a consequence, the modern person has grown accustomed to this convenience and lives in a manner that emphasizes this process. While many people are interested in using the internet to quickly order food, through applications like Seamless, or order clothing from online retailers, such as Macy’s online, many individuals have taken their want to date or meet a significant other online as well. There are a variety of apps and websites that have been customize to suit this purpose, and many individuals report that they are pleased with the results they have received from using these sites.

When the idea of internet dating was first proposed in the early 1990s, many people thought that this concept was questionable. Many individuals were hesitant to try these platforms for their own, as there was a general unfamiliarity with the internet, what it could offer, and its capabilities. During this time period, people who used online dating services were labelled as somewhat “desperate” and meeting someone that you met online appeared to be somewhat unsafe. As a result, there was a generally negative attitude towards the idea of online dating when it first originated. Many individuals believed that it would be simpler to meet people in person and that doing so at least minimized risk. However, this mentality has evolved significantly, and people have become more accepting of online dating as the related technology has progressed.

By the early 2000s, most homes had access to a computer, and a majority of these computers had internet accessibility. As a consequence, the internet had become a staple in American living. These systems allowed people to perform a variety of tasks they hadn’t been able to in the past. Workers could quickly compile a word document or e-mail to communicate with individuals in their office or at a branch overseas, and children would be able to download computer games to play in their leisure time. At this point, internet use was mainly computer based, but the frequency with which people used these systems increase significantly. When individuals did not have their own computer, they would simply visit an internet café, office store, or visit a friend so that they would be able to look up necessary information and print important documents.

This period of time led to a greater acceptance of online dating because there was a greater acceptance of the internet overall. People were beginning to depend on their computers for a variety of things and did not think it as strange to use these systems to meet people online. While online dating practices were not highly prevalent during this period of time, most adults had heard of someone who at least tried internet dating, and reported that they liked it. As a consequence of word of mouth tactics and a newfound understanding of the internet, people became somewhat less cautious about meeting individuals that they meet online. At this point, online dating platforms altered their business tactics in order to appeal to specific audiences. Websites that catered to individuals of particular religions, ethnicities, and careers were created so that individuals would be able to more easily find their perfect match.

Individuals living in the modern era appear to be the most accepting of online dating due to the position that technology has in their lives. It appears that the widespread use of technology for nearly everything in the modern era, such as food shopping, doing laundry, talking to friends, etc., has encouraged the use of both websites and applications for internet dating. Many individuals under the age of 18 still look at internet dating as generally unnecessary. However, individuals over the age of 18 have become very accepting of these applications, regularly updating and checking their profiles in order to determine who their matches are and whether it would be worthwhile to meet them in person. As a consequence, these individuals have access to thousands of matches at their fingertips, and many applications work based on the proximity of the two people by incorporating cell phone data. Because of cell phone, online dating has become easier that every before, and this accessibility has contributed to its popularity. People could choose to explore their online dating options either using a computer or cell phone, which influences their decision to constantly be immersed in the use of these applications.

Today, many individuals report that they are accepting of online dating and that it has somewhat replaced the need to meet people in person. This is especially true for individuals that have not been able to meet people in person due to their busy schedule, but would still be interested in meeting a potential partner. Therefore, these applications are ideal for such individuals because they would be able to set up a meeting with a click of a button, rather than going out, meeting someone, and scheduling a date at a later time. Things are more immediate for people now, which is an indication of our growing dependence on technology. While many people contend that meeting potential spouses in person is preferable to meeting them online, others believe that either online dating alone or the mixture of these two practices are ideal to optimize the search.

Ultimately, it appears that the use of online dating has been a beneficial practice in the modern world. Frontline’s Digital Nation poses the question “But is the technology moving faster than we can adapt to it? And is our 24/7 wired world causing us to lose as much as we’ve gained?” Based on the actions of currently online daters, in addition to those who simply use the internet for ordering food and looking up information, we have been able to adapt quickly to this technology. As technology continues to involve, we will find a way to incorporate it in our lives. This is important to note because this is characteristic of the modern era. Society is ultimately defined by the capabilities that technology puts forth, and it is important to consider that this ability to keep up defines the abilities of humanity. While it is difficult to adapt to a new technology at first, it quickly becomes normalized until the use of it is no longer questioned.

Many critics of the online dating world believe that it is not safe, and this is why individuals should avoid this practice altogether. While there have been some unsafe situations involved with this process, online dating websites and application provide users with safety tips that will allow them to remain safe when meeting an individuals for the first several times. First, it is important to meet the person in a public place. Second, some websites encourage the provision of background checks to make the process safer. While these are typically pay to use websites, those who are concerned about their safety certainly have options. Many couples have met through internet dating and report that they felt safe during the process. Furthermore, when individuals meet online they should have comprehensive conversations before agreeing to meet in person. This is a great way to ensure that the person one is meeting is really the person that he or she says they are and to ensure that they would really be a good match. It is necessary to emphasize that if an individual does not feel comfortable with his or her date, he or she could simply leave. The speed of modern internet dating is such that there is always another option, so this scenario is not as insulting as it would have been previously.

The problem of there always being another person out there is particularly concerning to individuals who have tried internet dating. They are not certain when they should pick one individual to continue dating because there are so many options available. However, it is important to consider that the internet dater has the opportunity to refine his or her own options in a manner that will lead this individual to the perfect match. For example, while there are many male and female options available on match.com, it is possible to refine people according to age. Furthermore, there are entire websites dedicated to helping people with similar religions and values meet, so this is one way that people would be able to inherently refine their search. It is important for them to use these dating websites and applications as if they are a database; it is necessary to refine search results to get to the one fact that you want to find. This is true with regards to online dating platforms as well.

In conclusion, online dating has evolved as a consequence of the evolution and the increasing popularity of the internet. Many people distrusted internet dating when it first began because people generally did not understand the internet, what is was capable of, or how it would be useful to them personally. Over time, these individuals found that internet applications could make life easier, and these applications were modified to suit more common needs. In the modern era, online dating is commonly accepted because it is easily accessible on computers and cell phones, allowing individuals to search for potential dates with the click of a button or the swipe of a cell phone screen. While many critics believe that these practices are either dangerous or not helpful, internet dating has evolved in a manner that has put many safeguards in place in addition to developing search utilities for diverse groups of people. Overall, many modern couples are meeting using online dating. Since they are happy, online dating cannot be considered a bad thing. Furthermore, it is likely that this practice will become more prevalent in the future, as the use of technology continues to rise.

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