The words were printed in large bold font, published in the Herald Sun yesterday. An article on the current status quo of our global dating culture, the verdict: dead. The premise of the piece was that, given our technological gadgets and the ease of communication they bring, traditional dating is about as alive and convenient as dial up internet.
Journo, Jessica Brinton, raises several suggestions. That we no longer need dating as a way of getting to know each other. That a text conversation can now be considered the equivalent to a date. That your Facebook profile renders any need for actually getting to know each other in person and over time (bye bye mystery). That we are so in love with the convenience of communicating via technology that we no longer need to make an effort with each other. “It’s convenience romancing, made easy by modern technology”, says Brinton.
So what does this mean for the advocates of boy meets girl “in real life”, or for the more romantic at heart among us?
I, for one, am not in a fan of online dating and while I will admit that, yes, it is a portal to an endless sea of potential matches, I am caught up with the romance of meeting organically rather than joining the online hunt. Maybe that’s why I’m still single. Sure, there’s part of me that screams “wake up girlfriend and get with the times!” but it just aint my cup of tea.
Ok, so it does make life easier. And technology certain opens the door to other possibilities previously unconsidered or inaccessible. But isn't love meant to be worth the effort? Isn't there supposed to be a level of intrigue that makes you want to go back for more? Shouldn't dating be more than alive and kicking?
I don’t believe that dating is dead.
I do believe that traditional dating, in the long run, is actually easier than relationships developed through technology. You know straight up whether you click (more important than reading what industry they work in) and it’s easier and faster to learn whether or not you can really spend any real time with this person. The streets are filled with new people to meet every day - yet we still fall back on technology in the search for compatibility.
I do believe that traditional dating, in the long run, is actually easier than relationships developed through technology. You know straight up whether you click (more important than reading what industry they work in) and it’s easier and faster to learn whether or not you can really spend any real time with this person. The streets are filled with new people to meet every day - yet we still fall back on technology in the search for compatibility.
When it’s so easy to form and break connections online, without the need to even see or speak to each other, have we become as inhuman as the devices we use? Maybe the traditional, organic dating rituals of getting to know each other through real life catch ups - instead of online or over text - could actually save us from becoming desensitised to how we behave towards and communicate with others.
When broadband internet goes down, we revert back to the safety of reliable dial up. It might seem slow - but it comes to the rescue when more modern technology fails.