Network Dating Sites How Type Dating Evolved Include Pros Cons

Network dating sites. How type dating evolved . Include pros cons.

Network dating sites have gained a particular place of social eminence within contemporary times. Online dating sites that members pay to use, such Match.com, made over a billion dollars in 2010 (No author). Many people consider these websites as primary options for dating for the simple fact that they allow expedient access to other singles who are also looking to date. Interestingly enough, these sites seem to have evolved from more conventional advertising for dating, which was traditionally found in print resources such as newspapers and weeklies. One may argue that the development of social networking web sites played a considerable role in the formation and popularity of network dating sites. Despite the degree of popularity these sites have, there are some inherent drawbacks associated with them that somewhat mitigates their efficacy. The most salient of these revolves around the fact that the very medium of the internet allows for a means of deception that advantages some and disadvantages others. Still, it would be difficult to argue that even negatives associated with network dating sites mitigates their primary attraction -- that of placing people with similar desires and interests in a physical location at the same time to enjoy one another's company and try to develop some sort of meaningful connection.

In delineating the history of network dating sites, it is important to trace the general concept that engendered them back to want ads, a form of advertising that quickly became known as personal ads for those who were looking for interpersonal relationships. Despite the prevalence of internet dating, want ads still exist today. Initially, these advertisements for personal interests were just a few lines and were general -- people included brief descriptions about themselves and about the people they desired to respond to the ad. Before long, such advertisements became significantly more specific and came to include homosexual tendencies and other unusual or traditionally esoteric desires. This degree of specificity would come to play an integral role in the marketing of network dating sites with the advance of the internet in the early 1990's.

Nearly midway through the second decade of the 21st Century, it would be significantly difficult to get more specific than some of the more well-used network dating sites. What was once a simple three line advertisement has turned into a 29-dimension examination for Match.com (Epstein 33). The very nature of internet dating added a third dimension of visual to the personal advertisement search -- people now can quite literally look at who they want to date and choose based on that information alone, if they so desire. In fact, one can argue that this degree of specificity is actually one of the pros associated with network dating sites; people cannot only look at a potential date but also read a plethora of personal information regarding his or her age, height and weight, as well as financial prowess. The advent of social network sites, of which global participation is in the millions (Boyd and Ellison), has further fueled online interest in dating. It is even possible to find sites in which individuals can go on virtual dates, which addresses any potential safety concerns -- before meeting in person, as well as community dating in which individuals are allowed to bring family and friends online to create their own profiles and select potential dates for them (Epstein 35).

While most people seem to enjoy loading themselves down with reams and reams of information with someone before they meet for a 15 minute cup of coffee, the primary drawback of this boon of network dating sites is hyperbole. Exaggeration may actually be a bit of an understatement -- there are quite a number of individuals who routinely lie regarding their personal information in order to draw the most number of suitors or dates. A 2011 article in the New York Times indicates that "about 81% of people misrepresent their height, weight or age in their profiles" and that "women's profile photographs were on average a year and a half old. Men's were on average six months old" (Rosenbloom). Thus, it is fairly apparent that although these web sites allow singles to get a significantly greater amount of data about potential dates than other dating sources, not all of it is true. This paradox is actually one of the fundamental characteristics of the internet. Because it is accessible from anywhere, to anyone, there is less accountability for those who choose to employ it. On the internet, people can be whoever they want to be -- which, in the case of network dating sites is usually an ideal self, or an exaggeration of a person's actual attributes.

Yet even this aspect of network dating sites can yield positive attributes as well. In some instances, people can use these sites and the internet as a means of embarking on changes that benefit them. There are some instances in which women may have indicated that there weight is less than it actually is -- which is a fairly common occurrence on these sites. However, it is possible that women can utilize such hyperbole to actually help themselves lose weight (Rosenbloom). In this case, network dating sights can actually provide the inspiration for people to better themselves. Men who may exaggerate their financial bracket have them much more incentive to earn money to make their fibs turn into reality. Therefore, it allowing people to misrepresent themselves, these sites also provide the inspiration for such people to actually become their ideal selves -- which is a definite boon.

One of the most exacting detriments that one can attribute to the development of network dating sites, however, is the fact that it fosters -- and actually thrives upon -- the culture of instant gratification that consumes much of contemporary society. Such sites allow people to date who they want when they want to. As such, there is little room for error and an exceedingly high level of intolerance. Traditional virtues of patience, problem solving, and just plain caring about someone enough to attempt to get through difficult times or moments is now unnecessary, for the simple fact that singles can readily replace someone with scores of other eligible singles -- who all meet their highly specified criteria. ____ addresses this aspect of online dating in the following quotation.