Cyber love is in the air . . .
It’s crazy to think how I ended up with a boyfriend that I actually met at an event. He came up to me, we chatted a bit about work-related things, I gave him my card, and all of this interaction was done IN PERSON. Can you believe it?
These days it’s very common for busy, virtually-connected people to find their mate online. Just in my friend group alone, there are about six different couples that are now married after buying a year membership on Match.com or J Date. I was always against online dating because I thought and still think that there are a lot of cyber-weirdos out there that lie in their profiles, use pictures that are over 10 years old or just plainly act different online than they would in person.
I know, I know. I can’t judge anyone because I already have a boyfriend and am happily in a relationship with him.
Anyway, it’s interesting to track how online dating is evolving. With sites like ImInLikeWithYou, WooMe, SpeedDating and SayHeyHey folks can ping, poke, SMS, email or do whatever it is that you do to get someone’s cyber-attention. This speedier alternative to non-formal dating is becoming so popular that people aren’t only using these sites to find a hook up or their true love, they are using them as a resource to meet people that have similar interests, are looking for an apartment to share or that are wanting to sell their dog. Like an interactive version of Craiglist.
These sites are based on finding a mate that’s hot. It’s all about the visual appeal. Whether it’s through a photo, webcam or video, people get a glimpse of what the other person looks like and more times than not will base their decision to continue their web interaction with a person if they are an 8.5 and above. It’s pretty shallow, but who are we kidding, there definitely has to be a physical connection when looking for a mate. These sites present a cool concept and alternative to dating. Users don’t have to waste their time on creating profiles, paying membership fees, and wondering if the person on the other end of the computer is legitimate. It’s pretty much a what you see is what you get type of a deal.
