Well, adult dating has certainly entered the new millennium.
Whether it¡¯s services like Dating on Demand, soon to be
launched by Comcast Cable, Match.com or a chat room, lonely
lookers are no longer limited to barroom banter while searching
for their soul mate. If alcohol is your forte¡¯, grapedates.com
can match you up with another wine enthusiast to smell the
bouquet with video chats, video emails, and video blogs. Heck,
you can even send video flirts to someone¡¯s cell phone! Those
daters looking for a little something extra (or married dating)
even have websites like AshleyMadison.com, which boasts ¡°When
Monogamy Becomes Monotony¡± and ¡°For Women Seeking Romantic
Affairs-and the men who want to fulfill them¡±, to fill those
few remaining waking hours. On the flipside, SoulMatch.com and
Christiansigles.com offer Christian dating, Mixedrace.com and
Saltandpeppersingles.com offer interracial dating, and
Gaymatchmaker.com and Bgay.com offer dating for same sex
relationships. Dating services have come a long way since the
early 90s, and it seems as if the sky¡¯s the limit. There are
some free online dating websites out there, but most charge a
fee if you want to have any kind of contact with other members.
In fact, online dating accounted for more revenue on the
internet in 2004-over $450 million in revenue-than any other
form of pay for entertainment web services, excluding internet
porn and internet gambling (Thompson, Technology Review, 108:8,
2004). Hmm, just where is all of this online dating headed? In
the future, will we simply wear our dating glasses (fashionable
dating glasses, of course)-conveniently linked to our online
dating profile-that tell us whose profile fits our own as we
walk the beaches, malls, and clubs? The bigger question is, what
do we truly want in a mate, and can someone know this when they
are filling out an online dating service profile? I think
technology has the potential to cut out diversity in
relationships, and that could have some pretty serious
consequences to the gene pool. Sure, there are some basic human
nature issues that should be the same in any relationship (like
social versus antisocial, religious versus atheist), but I would
hate to live with someone just like myself. Maybe a better
profile would simply ask everything you know you cannot stand
about other people or activities, and leave the rest of life
negotiable. Whether you are looking for teen dating or senior
dating, you should always be open for new experiences and
different avenues of thought. Thank goodness, we don¡¯t all
think, look, and act the same¡–how boring would that be? Leave
your life open for some adventure and diverse thought and then
fill out that dating ad. Another issue that technology dating
will have to address for individuals like myself is that of
smell and hygiene. Am I just weird, or does this play a role for
most people? If a person does not smell good or brush their
teeth a few times a day, I could care less whether or not they
like to walk the beach or candle lit dinners. I know this may be
shallow, but could I have a smell-o-phone please? The point is
that as of 2005, dating and technology have yet to address all
of the senses that face to face dating addresses, but who knows
what the future may hold. Maybe one day we will enter our DNA
readout into the singles dating profile and this will match us
with our perfect mate. That could be an interesting prospect,
especially if this perfect mate doesn¡¯t encompass the
characteristics our socialization tells us to look for.
So¡–daters start your engines¡–or ready those computers, cell
phones, and ipods because the future of dating will definitely
encompass technology. I have just a few dating tips or dating
advice to remember. Be Cautious about personal information (I
cannot stress this enough). Use good judgment and listen to your
instincts (if something isn¡¯t right in Denmark¡–end it now).
Take your time getting to know this person-don¡¯t accelerate the
process because you are lonely. If you decide to meet, make sure
it is in public- preferably in familiar surroundings with
friends around for backup (Listen to your friends¡¯ impression
of the person as well, because sometimes they will notice things
you miss). Most of all, do not sell yourself short for the need
for companionship-a good dog is better than a bad relationship!
For more information on dating
http://www.canfibre.com
About the author:
Danielle Peck has a degree in Sociology and is interested in the
social aspects of dating and technology. Her main goals in this
pursuit encompass both social and personal change while finding
the link that makes us all human in the twenty-first century.
