Technology takes the barriers out of dating. Thanks to the internet, you can meet new and interesting people anytime, anywhere. International dating sites even take geography out of the equation. The world of online dating has become flat, and therefore your journey to finding your soulmate will look much different than your parents’. Here’s how the world of dating has changed due to technology, and how you can make the most of it.
The Advantages (and Disadvantages) of Choice
If you were a single person 50 years ago, your dating pool would be relatively small. You’d need to find a mate that lived near you, was near your age, and that your family would approve of. While you might find someone you really loved, the likelihood that you’d end up “settling” would be quite high.
Today, however, online dating makes it possible for just about anyone to find their perfect match. The level of choice available to you is astounding. There are people out there who love the same movies you do, who read the same books, who enjoy the same activities, and who want the same things out of life. All you have to do to meet them is click.
However, there is a downside to all of this choice: it’s possible to get too picky. 50 years ago, if you met someone who you enjoyed being around, who your family approved of, and who shared your goals, you’d have the basis for a successful relationship. Today, you may meet someone online who complements you perfectly on the “big” things, but really loves a movie you hate. Because there is so much choice available, you could easily end up moving past them to someone else. That’s why it’s so important to look at the bigger picture when you’re dating in a “flat” world.
Sorting Through the Noise
When there are thousands of potential matches at your fingertips, it can be difficult to sort through all of the irrelevant matches. Thankfully, today’s world of online dating has an answer – a filtering process. When you search through a dating website, you can filter out potential matches whose age, location, or gender don’t match your needs. But that’s just the beginning – because each profile contains so much information, you can easily find potential soulmates with very specific interests and goals, and filter out those who don’t match yours.
But despite all of this filtering, the most common factor that online daters take into account when selecting someone new is their physical appearance. Yet again, online dating’s “flatness” is to your advantage. Your soulmate is already looking for someone who looks just like you, and your profile will help to break down the barriers between you.
Think about how your parents might have met each other. Maybe they caught a glimpse of each other’s faces across a room and decided it was worth it to say hello. Is that so different from feeling a pull towards someone’s profile photo? Today’s world of online dating just makes the room bigger: you can catch the eye of someone down the street or halfway around the world.
The world of online dating may be flat, but it can open you up to relationships filled with variation. If you haven’t already, now’s the time to step into that world: you never know what may come of it.