Last week I was having dinner with my little brother and
his new girlfriend. During the course of conversation
I learned that she had never been a member of an
online dating service….which in this day and age
is becoming more and more of a rarity.
Online dating has been around for over 10 years now
but only recently has it become more “mainstream”
wherein people aren’t embarrassed to tell others that
they are or were a member of an online dating service.
With the advent of such “high end” online dating
services such as
and their commercials running 24/7 on the television,
more and more singles who have never tried online
dating are giving it a shot.
So why join an online dating service?
The short answer to that question is: quantity and quality.
The long answer is a bit more complicated.
There really is no “right way” or “place” to meet
new people in this day and age. You could get
lucky and meet the guy/girl of your dreams
while you are standing in line in the supermarket.
(this has NEVER happened to me, but I have heard
it happens on occasion). You could be introduced
to your future boyfriend/girlfriend by a common
acquaintance.
In light of all the potential ways and places to
meet someone new, I have chosen to compare/contrast
online dating versus a tried and true method of
meeting new men and women: The bar scene.
Love it or hate it, the bar scene has been the
proverbial Serengeti watering hole for singles
looking to mingle for hundreds of years. Long
before the advent of the internet and online
dating, singles would generally congregate
at their local bars in the semi-high hopes of
meeting a local hottie. Of course, with all
the booze and beer that is served in a bar,
“impaired judgment” was a very common occurrence
and you really couldn’t get an accurate picture
of the person that you were talking to in a bar
because …..well let’s face it. Alcohol makes
people horny and looking for your soulmate
was probably the last thing on your list when
a pair of “DD’s” planted themselves firmly
on the barstool next to you…..
So why choose online dating over the bar
scene?
1. Checking out the dating pool, without
having to interact with the old, slobbering
drunk guy staring at your breasts.
With online dating, you can check out other
people’s profiles from the comfort and saftey
of your home. You choose who you want to
communicate with and that communication
stays within the email or instant messenger
service until the time of your choosing.
2. Safety.
Online dating is one of the safest ways to
meet new people. You have complete
control over the interacting experience
and chose when and where and if
you so chose to give out your personal
information. Many online dating sites
such as eHarmony screen potential new
users so that only the creme de la creme
are allowed to join their services.
3. Diversity.
Are you into any less than mainstream
alternative lifestyles or dating? There are
many online dating sites out there that
cater to Gay dating, Lesbian dating,
Asian dating, Hispanic dating, “hookup”
dating and so on. With these sites you
know that the person that you are
talking to is looking for the same thing you are.
4. Price.
Most of the online dating sites cost anywhere
from $19.99 a month to $39.99 a month. When
taken into consideration, that is what you would
pay for a Friday night out at your local bar
(probably less, depending on what you like to
drink).
5. No embarrassing moments.
Ever been to a bar and saw a hottie that
you thought was checking you out….and
you walk over and come to find out that
they were actually checking out
one of your friends. Yikes !
With online dating, you know instantly
whether or not someone is interested in
you because they too have the ability to
choose whom they wish to communicate
with and who they don’t.
6. Law of averages.
How many times do you go out to a bar
every month? Let’s say the average person
goes 4x a month. Now how many new
people (that you would give your phone
number out to) do you meet every time
you are out? Again, let’s shoot low and
say “2″. So that’s 2 people every week for
4 weeks. 8 new people you meet
every month who might have “potential”.
Now how much money do you spend on
going out every month, with the high hopes
of meeting someone new? When you finally
add it all up, it can be quite costly to maybe
meet 10 new people every month.
With online dating, you have access to a pool
of thousands of people who are in the same
situation you are. Looking for someone new
and tired of the “bar scene”.
If you have never tried an online dating service,
then my advice to you would be to take a
break from the bar scene. Turn down the next
blind date your friends set you up on and give
online dating a shot. The bar scene is full
of scumbags and losers and that’s on a good night !!
If the bar scene is your thing, try to use is as just
a social gathering for you and your friends and don’t
go out with the specific purpose of meeting someone
new. Chances are it won’t happen or if it does, you
will wind up with the wrong person.
Good luck !!