Essay Sample on Online Dating

It is a fact that distance or time is no longer a problem right now when it comes to dating. Long-distance or cross-time-zone relationships are made plausible with the help of technology. Nowadays, young people or adults have access to a variety of dating options, including online dating. Online dating refers to a modern way of dating that takes place over the internet before meeting face-to-face in real life. This type of dating has grown in popularity in recent years and has attracted thousands of people. It could be useful for introverts, as well as those with busy work schedules or limited social circles to some extent. However, for someone who is seeking true love, I do not think online dating is a suitable way to start a relationship.

Unlike offline dating, online dating includes a lot of inaccurate information about people. On dating apps, users' personal information, such as age, race, religion, and living standard, may not exactly reflect who they are in real life. This is because most dating apps do not have rigorous limits on the number of profiles users may establish or the veracity of personal information. One survey collected from online daters has shown that over half of the online daters from around the world are surprisingly inclined to lie about their age, relationship status, and financial status. (Huhn) Consequently, if the personal data of such a large number of people are incorrectly completed, the whole matching mechanism for love seekers will fail to work from what they expect. For example, if an elderly man covers up his age to date a younger partner online, the matching system will sort out some young women for him, which will work in his favor. However, from that woman’s perspective, she might think that she is matched to a man of her age, and there is no way for her to find out the truth earlier by simply looking at fake profiles or information. This is when all goes wrong and this vicious circle of lying is most likely to spread or continue in online dating. On the contrary, using friends or family as an intermediary to meet a partner will reduce the chances of being deceived. Although the same circumstances can happen during offline dating, the extent of lies perpetuated through traditional dating is minimal and less severe. Thus, it is necessary to shift the dating method from online to offline dating because the reliability of personal information on the internet is not fully guaranteed, and this will result in matching you with the wrong person 

More people have turned to online dating in recent years, assuming that there is a wider selection of people to pick from. However, having too many options can lead us to make wrong decisions. People believe that internet dating has enabled them with the ability to discover their ideal spouse because they are connected to a wider or more diverse group of people around the world, whereas the number of people we could reach in real life is restricted. They are certain that they would be more fulfilled and happy when they have the opportunity to look through a variety of options. However, a study of 150 students indicated that half of the students who had chosen a partner from a larger pool of candidates changed their minds after one week, but the chances of shifting decisions were minimal for the other half who were given fewer options. (Khutson) From this finding, it is obvious that when presented with too many fantastic alternatives, individuals do not make the optimal decision. Even though they have made their choices, they believe it is not worth settling down with just one person when there are better possibilities accessible. To make matters worse, a common outcome of having more choices than necessary is relationship betrayal. When people become in favor of a better option and feel unsatisfied with their existing relationship, they are more prone to be swayed by other outside attractions. As a result, the relationship between two people is easier to point toward breaking up because of online dating. This phenomenon will be less intense if people date in real life and take control over one another. Therefore, having more options to choose from is not necessarily better in dating because it makes people feel overwhelmed and less satisfied with their relationships.

Critics point out that conventional dating is time-consuming because it requires frequent companionship. They propose that not everyone has a substantial amount of time to hang around with someone because they have other priorities in their lives, for example, work. Indeed, traditional dating requires committing most of our time to it, and scheduling a time that is convenient for both sides has grown challenging these days because people have different work schedules and routines. However, online dating does not save us a lot of time as opponents claim. When we have long conversations or lengthier talks, texting or waiting for replies online would be extra work, whereas we could talk to each other directly in offline dating without having to type. Furthermore, texting is not the most appropriate method of communication, and virtual conversation is insufficient for getting to know someone. Being able to meet or speak with one another is the only way to strengthen our mutual understanding. Traditional dating, on the other hand, fosters intimacy and helps a relationship blossom into something much more significant. In addition, offline dating permits us to pick up on verbal prompts and the body dialect of the other person. For example, we may measure a person's sincerity by observing how his or her spoken words and inner thoughts alter based on his or her facial expression and body language. On the contrary, learning about a person’s inner self, demeanor, and determining compatibility does not appear to be achievable with online dating because no real interaction is involved. Hence, traditional dating is without a doubt the ideal approach to date because it allows us to get to know a person in depth by spending time together.

In dating, choosing a suitable method to strengthen a relationship is imperative. Although there are certain advantages to dating online, it should not be chosen over in-person dating since the virtual world is full of lies, too many options overwhelm people, and it takes away a lot of human contact. Oppositely, traditional dating aids in resolving all these issues and it is a more effective method of determining who is compatible with you. To sum up, people should avoid becoming excessively reliant on online dating applications or services; instead, they should begin dating members of their community in real life.