Online Dating vs. Pickup Lines (Spoiler: Online Dating Wins!)

Dating has evolved drastically over the years. From the truly olden days of arranged marriage to the dawn of romance and courting, we have now entered a new digital frontier. But online dating hasn’t left traditional romance in the dust quite yet: they both have their charms and pitfalls. Let’s take a look at what those are, shall we?

Online Dating:

The good:

Meeting folks online will be what you make of it. The opportunity provides you with access to literally thousands of potential partners with a touch of a screen or button. You can find endless variety: if you are into tattooed guys with a foot fetish, then by golly, you can find one of those.

Looking for a hookup or a relationship that will end in marriage? If you are up front and vulnerable about what you are looking for, it can be an easier and much more efficient process to find somebody online who feels the same.

Perusing profiles and sending out flirtcasts can be an ideal way for singles with a busy schedule to connect. And messaging can be a helluva way for those of us who are introverts or on the socially anxious end of the spectrum to connect with other people. It minimizes the fear of rejection. And if you are rejected (which may happen, leading me to my next topic) then there still are many, many MANY more where that came from.

The bad:

It is all too easy to communicate from behind the protection of a screen. Messaging doesn’t exactly mimic real-life conversation: on the up side we have the beautiful safety of time to think of a witty response, but on the downside there’s the lack of social restraint (and legal consequences) that present the opportunity for less-than-respectful treatment of one another.

The amount of choice when searching online can be overwhelming if you aren’t focused on the end goal and not just the game. You can miss out on somebody you may create fireworks with because of a superficial requirement that you put forth, like age or income level range, so maybe you could loosen your expectation a bit. Rejection or failure can be disheartening, even in digital form, though less so than in real life. And sometimes, there can be a lot of pressure in taking the relationship off-screen after using it as a safety net for so long. Also, it can be difficult to judge if you have any physical chemistry with somebody unless you meet in person.

Traditional Dating:

The good:

The one thing dating apps and sites haven’t yet mastered is the ability to sniff out is the spark. You know, the spark, the butterflies, the way your heart leaps when his eyes crinkle when he smiles, the intoxicating scent of her hair. And us those hopeless romantics out there, this may be a difficult thing to come to terms with, and we may prefer to stick to relying on pure physical attraction to guide. Not to say that you can’t share great chemistry with somebody you’ve met online, it’s just that you may have to put a little more time towards dating people you don’t spark with to find the one.

The bad:

Meeting people can be pretty darn difficult, especially if you are afflicted with any shyness or lack of confidence or are a busy professional on the move. Your choices are limited to people who you may happen to come across in your social circle or happen upon on the street or coffee shop. And it can be even harder to find that tattooed, foot-loving lover you’ve been pining after in your dreams.

On top of all that, it is even more unclear what people’s intentions are without the veil of safe upfront communication. If you confess that you hope to me married and pregnant within a year to your blind date, you may very well be walked out on. And rejection in real-life is quite a bit more painful than the screen variety.

In conclusion, while both styles of meeting people to date have their ups and downs, the end goal is the same, so writing off either wouldn’t be a wise move, especially digital dating. Even if you’re a bit nervous about embarking on an online search… relax. You’ve got too much to lose NOT to do it.

Try online dating now and you will not be disappointed!