Dating in the Age of Social Media
August 4, 2010 | Written by John Ericson Reyes
Inspired by my experience last night on the launching event of Alikewise.com (an online dating website that matches people by the books that they read), I couldn’t help but wonder how convenient it is, nowadays, to find a date… anywhere! Has pop-culture made online dating too pop? I decided to “experiment” and go undercover to find out what it is about online dating that attracts millions of people worldwide.
Dating on the Fast Track
During the event, I got on the “Speed Dating Couch,” where I got to sit and talk to random people, telling them things about myself: what I like, what I do, and some “blahs.” Suddenly, I realized that within the span of ten years, looking for someone to date has actually become way too easy.
Cupid Goes Online!
Ten years ago, probably even more, people were buzzing about blind-dates, how intriguing it was, how fun it was, and how terrible it was. Then came speed-dating events at local bars and hotels, which was shortly followed by online dating. When people started creating MySpace profiles, they didn’t know if it were “a place for friends,” or an innovative start-up dating website. Soon after, online-dating websites such as match.com, eharmony.com, chemistry.com, and many more started popping on every corner of the world-wide-web.
Later that night, the founder of Alikewise.com was persuading me to have an online account with them, not only to up the number of members, but for me to also, “get someone to date!” he says.
Doing the (Dating) Math
I pondered my concerns on online-dating. For one, there are risks involved in meeting someone online, but I was also curious about how rapidly the population of people turning to the internet to find someone to go out with was growing. Study shows that “In the first half of 2003, consumers spent over $214 million for online-dating services. This number is 76% higher than the same time last year.” And this was back in 2003! Imagine how much people have already spent, both time and money, on dating websites seven years later. Online-dating websites have become multi-million dollar businesses that attract all types of people all over the world. And, since online-dating has become the new “it” thing, different online-dating websites are now even more tailored to cater to specific interests or preferences: Alikewise.com for book lovers, Tastebuds.com for music lovers, Christiansingles.com for, well, Christians, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
There’s an App for that!
With the influx of online dating sites, people can actually vent and share not-so-stellar experiences—as seen on BadOnlineDates.com. With this, I guess it is most definitely true that “There’s an app for that!”
Interestingly, there’s an app for online-mobile dating too! StreetSpark is considerably the FourSquare of online-dating. This is a mobile app that lets one find people nearby who share the same interests and are compatible with his or her external social networking behavior.
Here’s how it works:
I guess it has become too tiring for some to browse through thousands of profiles online and have decided to take it on the go.
I’m sure most of you have seen Lady GaGa’s Telephone video. You’ll notice that one of the key advertising companies includes PlentyOfFish.com This is, yet, another dating website now being included in a music video! Lady GaGa=Pop-Culture, hence, Pop-Culture=Online-Dating.
All’s Well that Ends Not So Well
With online-dating, comes real-world counterparts and consequences. Have you ever heard of online-break-up? Yes, apparently, this has become as convenient and mainstream as looking for someone online. Read and absorb, my dear friends: “Almost 25% of respondents found out their own relationship was over by seeing it on Facebook first.” And I thought Carrie Bradshaw’s Post-It break-up was bad! In some cases, Mark Zuckerberg finds out first that someone’s been dumped even before the who got dumped finds out.
Granted that through online-dating, people can find others instantaneously for prospective relationships. There’s a 50% chance that online-dating will turn out bad and the other half will turn out good. But, after all, doesn’t this system work the same way as meeting someone at a bar and then meet-up for a first date? Bottom line is, online-dating is worth giving a shot. It’s available for everybody, but it’s not really for everybody.
Now, excuse me while I fill out this form. Hrmmmm. About Me…
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Tags: alikewise.com, John Ericson Reyes, online dating, RFI Studios, ruder finn, social media
Comments (2)
August 4th, 2010 at 11:35 am Posted by Priya
Almost 25% of respondents found out their own relationship was over by seeing it on Facebook first.
Horrifying! So John, tell me, would you judge a couple if you found out they meet on eHarmony?
August 4th, 2010 at 11:49 am Posted by John Ericson Reyes
When one goes to a bar, doesn’t that person look for another person who is “attractive” (in quotation marks because we all have our own definitions of the word)? When a person looks for someone online, doesn’t that person get smitten by another person’s profile picture? So, tell me, aren’t the ideologies behind these two are the same? Plus, who am I to judge a couple who met each other at an online-dating site because what works for me may not work for you and the rest of the world? Also, would you runaway from an intimate connection just because you don’t want to be judged by society because it may not seem “normal?” But, then, of course, one must be careful whether meeting someone at a bar or online.
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