Technology has changed and it’s still changing the whole world in many different ways. Let’s take a look back in time, just 10 years ago and compare how it affected our lives. For example, back in 2010, we were still using our ordinary cell-phones, Facebook didn’t have ads, Instagram was launched that year, and TikTok, Tinder, and Snapchat didn’t even exist.
Social media, together with technology development, made communication easier and more comfortable, especially for introverts and those who are too shy to talk with people in real life. Some people (millennials and Gen Z‘s name them boomers) think that technology has literally killed the romance and ruined the old-school dating, but younger people know that it also has some benefits.
Just look around you and tell what do you see? How many of your friends met their partners through social media or dating apps? How did you meet your girlfriend/boyfriend? How many of these modern relationships ended with a happy marriage and raising a family together? See, there is nothing bad about dating in the high-technology era. But, it’s a fact that this progress changed the definition of dating and it’s still updating it.
Here are a few ways of how technology is affecting today’s romance:
1. Communication is easier
Many people had problems to reach to the person they like and tell their intentions. A lot of potential couples missed their chance to be happy just because they were too shy or insecure. When cell-phones became more affordable, many of us “broke the ice” by sending SMS to our person of interest. When social media took a great part in our life, it became even easier. You like someone you met at a party or at college, you add them on Facebook, ask some questions and wait for the conversation to get serious. Next thing you know you are dating. Yes, it’s that easy today.
2. Dating apps and services on a rise
It’s not just Tinder or Hinge that is used as a dating app. There are a lot of websites that offer a lot of dating options, including basic going out with someone you like, finding a sex partner with the same interests, or like escortrankings.uk offers, hiring an escort lady near you for some event. Dating apps and services are based on photos and a short description. If the person who is looking for a date likes what he/she sees, they proceed to send a message or swiping right.
3. We choose our potential dates by physical features
Every one of us has a type of man/woman we prefer. Dating apps are allowing us to choose those we like and seem attractive to us. If they like us back, we proceed to message or scheduling a date. If we don’t like their character, we can easily tell them that things won’t work. Also, these apps gave us the “privilege” of ghosting, which is equal to leaving without any explanation and never getting back, and no one gets hurt by that. You may ask why no one gets hurt? Because it’s never been that easy to move to the next person on your list of potential dates.
4. We flirt online
We do everything online, like paying our bills, visiting courses, learning new skills, and flirting too. We measure how much someone likes us by the time they spend chatting with us and the number of likes we receive. Today’s flirting is based on likes, reactions, gifs, and stickers. When we meet with someone we flirt online, it may be weird because we don’t have those reactions and stickers, but if we are compatible, there is no problem flirting in real life too. Almost every one of us had flirted or approached someone through social media instead of in person.
5. Increased cases of online harassment and revenge
Modern times have a lot of benefits for our love life, but sometimes it may end badly. As we know, breakups are normal and expected, and some relationships are getting worse as time goes by. That is pretty complicated because we all tend to take the breakup personally and that makes us sad and angry. In the social media era, a lot of exes tried to harm the person they once loved, leaking conversation, or even personal photos. Many people went through a real hell until the other person recovers from the breakup. There are a lot of examples when the ex was stalking the partner through fake accounts, following every step they take. Sadly, a lot of these cases ended with violence or even murder, and that is one of the dark sides of how technology changed dating.
6. Jealousy about social media activity
We all have at least one social media profile. Most of us have at least two and we have our potential dates as friends. We are getting jealous and angry with likes, comments, and check-ins. This anger is a normal reaction when we are not included in our date’s life. That’s our instinct and there is nothing wrong with that. But, do you know what those who we call boomers often say? What you don’t see can’t hurt you. In the past, it was impossible to know if the person you like is into someone else, but today we can easily jump into conclusions based on likes and comments, and yes, that hurts and it’s normal to hurt. Until the next right swipe, of course.
7. You always have another option
Let’s be real with this one. When we are on dating sites, we don’t communicate with just one person. We exchange a lot of messages with at least three possible dates. The technology allows us to choose between a few people that are interesting to us, or even to soft-cheat our current partner by just innocent swiping and liking through these apps. It’s in our nature to always believe that there is something better for us out there.
Dating is just one field that is affected by technology development, and many people are thankful for that. If there was no technology, they would still be trying to win someone’s heart by writing poetry or sending flowers to someone who doesn’t like them back.
