Merits and Demerits of Online Dating
The rapid changes in technology bring about rapid changes in human thinking. The mind first considers the new program sceptically but soon it adjusts to it and finally begins to make full use of it. This is what happened with online dating, too. In 1995, Match.com was the first site offering the service but it was not well accepted then and it was a taboo to be on an online dating site.
Today, it has mushroomed and many companies have opened their services for the same and people flock from all walks of life to begin an online relationship through such services. It is the latest trend in social matchmaking. However, dating online has its pros and cons.
Given Below are Some of the Merits or Pros of Online Dating:
It saves on time and money: A substantial time is saved which would normally be used in meeting people in person and to know them to build up conversation and a relationship. At the same time, much money is also saved as one does not need to go out for a party or to a club to meet people. Through internet, which is available any and everywhere, in homes and now even on mobile phones, one can begin dating almost immediately.
It eliminates anxiety:
The anxiety to meet a new person face to face is always there whether it is a boy or a girl. Meeting a new person online allows one to be totally at ease as there is no need to dress up and make oneself presentable to the other person; even looks do
not matter to the other person when getting acquainted with each other. Online dating connects people intellectually. Awkwardness in meeting a new person is thus eliminated.
A wide pool of people to choose from: Even at a party or an event, it is next to impossible to find such a huge pool of people connecting to each other as is available for online dating any time of the day or night.
It provides privacy: Two individuals, interested in developing a relationship, can date each other online without the hitch of being seen by the prying and vigilant eyes of the family, colleagues or the neighbourhood. The two can come to know much about each other before they think of meeting in person.
Rejection does not adversely affect: If a partner is rejected by the other one online, there is less/no sorrow than if it is done in person since the emotional bond does not generally build up unless the two meet face to face.
Some Cons of online dating:
One is ignorant of the individual on the other side: This is the major drawback of online dating. Many have burnt their fingers giving away valuable personal information to the other person trusting them fully. A sexually perverted man or a group may lure a young girl into sex or paedophilia. Money is stolen from banks once the credit card number is given away. Many marriages have collapsed because they trusted the person online who was not what s/he claimed to be.
It destroys relationships and marriages: A person already married or in a relationship may develop a relationship online.
Search can be very time-consuming: A wide pool of people from which to choose one’s love interest can get exasperating, going through each one’s profile. One should go for online dating if one has ample time on him/herself. There will be several at a time who would like to chat with one person thus distracting him/her from the focus for which the person came for online dating.
It tends to kill romance: It is a virtual world of meeting people online for dating purposes. It is a fast–paced decision on a relationship and the romance one can have when they meet repeatedly in person gets killed.
It is costly in the long run: Though it may be free to join the site, online dating gets expensive in the long run because each time one wants to get to the person whose profile was read, one has to pay for accessing the person; if several individuals are needed to get in touch with, it taxes the person looking for the right mate.
