Over the last few weeks, I’ve been in and out of London, enjoying the Great British Festival scene. As a result, I’ve had a chance to speak to a lot of new people from all over the country about “the whole online dating thing”.
I had a number of very interesting conversations with people who all raised the same problem they have with online dating. They all felt that dating sites made the whole process of introduction seem too much like a job application, making it unromantic. They all preferred the old method of going out there and running into people by chance, trusting their heart (or “fate”) to make the right decision for them.
I know online dating professionals often like to talk about how superior the online method is to traditional dating exactly because of the fact that it’s focused and involves making decisions with your head first and then the heart, but personally I feel that this is a matter of personal preference. Some people are always going to be ruled by their heads, while some are more intuitive by nature. Throughout the centuries, people have found love using both of these methods, so I don’t care to fault either one.
If you are the sort of person who achieves good results in your life by focusing your intentions and actively and consciously working towards a goal, then you will be naturally attracted to the concept of online dating because it will give you a sense of more control over the outcome. If you like to play things by ear, go out there, interact and see what happens rather than consciously seek out relationships, then you may not like it. Before you jump to any conclusions, though, remember that most people who fell in love online would never have imagined ever doing so before it happened. Give it a go before making up your mind one way or the other.
The one thing online dating sites are always going to be good for, regardless of your opinion of them, is getting you in touch with a whole load of new people you could meet up with. These people are by definition single and looking, which makes the whole thing much simpler.
I live in London, where there is never a shortage of new people to meet even without going online. However, you have to be active and sociable all the time to have any chance of meeting them (which takes time and energy, both of which are often in short supply). When you do go out, there’s no guarantee the people you meet will be single and looking.
People who live in smaller towns have an even bigger problem meeting new singles. They are bound to exhaust their options sooner or later, especially if they belong to a particular sub-culture or scene and want to date within it.
The people I spoke to on my travels had all turned to online dating in an attempt to expand their social circle, but found the method itself unsuitable for their needs. I don’t believe in trying to change a person’s belief system as a sales tactic for an online dating site. Some people are going to take to it, while others aren’t.
It’s important to remember, though, that online dating does extend beyond making use of a dedicated dating site. There are other things you can do online that resemble the more chance-based method of meeting people, with the added benefit of having the wealth of new people to expand your social circle with. Places like forums, mailing lists, social networking sites, online gaming communities, etc. can all be good places to start meeting people based on mutual interests. There’s no guarantee you’ll meet suitable, single people, but then there never are any guarantees anyway. A good start is always to infuse your life with new friends, friends of friends and acquaintaces and build on that, which is exactly what social networking sites, forums and communities are for.