What are the benefits of virtual dating?
Love is a minefield went the song, and it couldn't be truer. Love and all things heart are never easy, but pretty much always worth it. Since time immemorial, love has been searched high and low. Many a books, many a poems have been dedicated to that feeling of companionship. The game of hearts ain't for the weak of heart..
Dating the conventional way meant meeting people either through common friends, or if you were brave enough, then to approach someone at a bar, coffee shop etc. It was a fun way to test chemistry almost immediately and find out whether or not a second date was in the wings. However, gradually the online dating platform became quite popular. There are several reasons for this and in this article we will try and enumerate these reasons.
The ease of commencing a conversation
Approaching a stranger and striking up a conversation is a tall order that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Matching up and starting a conversation on a dating site eliminates this early hiccup. A lot of these dating sites even suggest ice breaker conversation starters for people that haven't quite figured it out,yet! The ease of initiating a conversation is a primary allure of online dating as it provides a safe space to be yourself and eliminates the unnecessary discomfort that may be felt on a first date between strangers.
Increased probability of finding “The One”
When one creates a profile on a dating app, your age, geographical location and interests are recorded. This helps the app algorithm to provide several choices based on your answers. Each day new suggestions are provided for you to peruse at leisure. Online dating gives you the freedom to read up on other people’s interests or hobbies beforehand and take your time to decide if you want to give the person a chance. One is at liberty to start a conversation with several people at a time and assess your degree of compatibility with each of them.
Opportunity to meet people even far away
With the advent of the digital age, geographical location is no longer a restriction when trying to meet new people. By changing your location or using the outstation feature, one has the freedom to start texting with people living in different geographical locations as well. This broadens your horizon, not limiting your search for love just because your “person” may be living far away. With the pandemic, the world shrunk and this feature in almost all the dating apps made finding companionship, a friend or even love a real possibility.
A glimpse of the person behind the screen
Almost every dating app has a communication feature that allows you to strike up a conversation either via text or call, based on your level of comfort. Several people communicate for weeks before meeting up, while others decide to meet up after just a few texts. Online dating allows you to understand the person on the other end of the line and find out more about their likes,dislikes, personality and kinks even before meeting up. This freedom to decide whether or not to pursue this connection, within the comfort of your own home is by far the greatest advantage of the realm of online dating.
Safety First!!
As a woman, one of the greatest advantages of online dating, as I see it, is safety. Most online dating platforms have been designed keeping the safety factor in mind. The woman makes the first move and is able to control the pace of the connection. Phone numbers and exact locations are not a part of the profile, and sharing or not sharing this information remains in the hands of the users. This is a safety net that emboldens the fairer sex in being more open and relaxed, which is conducive to initiating and even sustaining said connection. The block and report feature is a godsend to eliminate any individuals that may turn out to be a nuisance. This is not possible in dating in the real world, thereby making the safety factor one of the greatest advantages of online dating.
According to the official Bumble stats, as of June 2022 more than 3 million users created online dating profiles and more than 9 million women made the first move. During the pandemic, this number shot up, especially for singles living owing to the ease of the platform. Craving companionship and hoping to find a true bond came to the fore of everyone’s psyche. Online dating became quite successful in that scenario, and I'd like to believe that not just casual hookups to fight loneliness but also real,long term relationships were forged among people.
References
10 benefits of online dating- marriage.com
hindutimes.com