Online dating can get bad press, but no one should be discouraged from looking for romance on the internet because sometimes it goes wrong. Finding yourself tangled with a loving rat you met at a social event is more common. According to research by the University of Chicago, more than a third of marriages now start online. It also reveals that online couples have happier and longer marriages.
A study from the National Academy of Sciences agrees: “Couples who met online were more likely to have higher marital satisfaction and lower breakup rates than relationships that started in face-to-face meetings.”
People who meet online tend to be more mature and have higher paying occupations. Among the least successful marriages were those in which people met in bars. A strong supporter of online dating is Neil Clark Warren, CEO of online dating agency eHarmony. His goal is to reduce divorce from 50 percent to single figures. He says, “It’s not that it’s too easy to get divorced. The problem is because it’s too easy to get married.”
Jeffrey A. Hall, associate professor of communications at the University of Kansas advocates for online relationships. “Online dating was once seen as a bad or dangerous place, a warehouse for losers or horrible. We are seeing a sea change in those views.”
Being single is the ultimate complacency, but the problem is that you can become a social outcast. Grab a restaurant table that normally seats four and you’ll soon learn the meaning of nonchalant service and funny looks. Reserving a theater seat or taking a vacation on your own guarantees that you will look like Billy No-Mates.
Having been divorced, I didn’t feel like getting engaged, but I missed female company. When registering with an online dating agency, I frankly explained my preference for a platonic relationship. Such frankness earned me respect. There was no shortage of dating opportunities and most were completely enjoyable occasions. Economy with the truth is a trend when it comes to subscribing to online dating agencies. Typical and common is the use of flattering photographs, some of which were taken years before. A lady date used a picture of her daughter as she got her more dates. Men are equally adept at telling white lies. Part of the entertainment of my night was listening to the fallas from previous dates. I hope they are not talking about mine now.
While much of the research is based in the United States, it likely reflects European studies and findings. Online dating reaches the altar in 18 months. Offline dating takes 42 months, suggesting less trust and commitment. Subscribers to online dating services by gender are fairly evenly divided. Two-thirds say that common interests are the most important factor when looking for a partner. Physical attractiveness is important too, an asset at 49 percent. Personality is a definite plus, while hair color preference is split evenly between blondes and brunettes.