There was an article a couple of years ago which talked about how a whole generation forgot how to actually date someone. I hate to say it but two years on, the lack of courting remains the same. I think we can thank the hookup culture of apps for that. In a world where sex is easier than ever to get, love becomes harder to find, especially with generations x & y, but I don't think we should become socially deviant and stagnate in both our social and dating etiquette because of that.
Recently someone said to me that the world of singles really is at our fingertips. I hear you, its a quick click, download and a swipe left or right. But how come we can seem so social and so connected with our digital media yet be so isolated from actually talking to each other- surely that's what makes a relationship work in the long run; a conversation or two? In my opinion dating apps have made the trials and tribulations of actually meeting someone harder than ever before - have we all become deviant from the social norm and if so, is this deviance set to last and become the norm? Sure meeting someone is super easy online but what is the ratio of swiping right on whatever app it is that you're using to actually entering into a conversation, let alone a *real* date. Also, sieving out those singles online who are actually serious in their search for someone vs those who are there to fill time in their day can be really tough too.
The telegraph wrote recently, further to a report on our attention span, that 'Humans have a shorter attention span than goldfish, thanks to smartphones'. It was recorded that humans have an attention span of just 8 seconds, whilst goldfish have the attention span of 9. In relation to singles being hooked to online dating, could it be that the grass doesn't necessarily always seem greener, but we as human beings simply get bored too quickly with someone we have virtually matched with?
Last year alone the dating industry raked in $2.2 Billion and I personally operate in the offline dating industry and only ever see those who are fully invested with their time, emotion, commitment and finances in order to find their certain someone. This I resonate with and I do think if you make one investment in life it ought to be with someone to share said life with, but then again I am a matchmaker and see connecting singles as a vital labour of love. Perhaps I sound like a romantic, although I can assure you I am far more a realist, but what I am hearing from singles is that they have saturated online, are bored of having too much meaningless sex and frustrated trying to find someone who is seriously looking for love.
In my opinion, if you are looking to meet someone on your wave-length then you ought to think about the kind of pool you are swimming in and if you will attract someone who is like-minded in your pool of choice - apps, online, offline via matchmaking or dare I say it - at a singles event . If you meet someone quickly but aren't sure if it's the real deal heres a quick way to check it's a real relationship and love match or just lust. I do hope our attention span is set to increase than that of goldfish and we become more focused on finding forever rather than getting a quick-fix of fun.