{"id":2070141,"date":"2023-10-17T12:05:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-17T16:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-the-culture-of-online-dating-encourages-hook-ups-not-marriage\/"},"modified":"2023-10-17T12:10:39","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T16:10:39","slug":"how-the-culture-of-online-dating-encourages-hook-ups-not-marriage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-the-culture-of-online-dating-encourages-hook-ups-not-marriage\/","title":{"rendered":"Online dating culture promotes casual encounters, not long-term commitments."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhow-the-culture-of-online-dating-encourages-hook-ups-not-marriage%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2070141&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>In theory, online dating should be great. There is a wide range \u200cof dating apps and\u2063 sites with differing personas. Singles have\u2063 so many more options\u200b and can scroll through carefully polished profiles as they wait for their post-brunch Ubers.<\/h2>\n<h2>The reality, however, \u2062is less romantic.\u2064 What appears to be the perfect modern \u2064solution for the age-old challenge of finding a life partner may actually be making your goal more difficult.<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yes, certain \u2063sites, like Christian \u2064Mingle and eHarmony, cater to those looking for a serious relationship or marriage. And many \u2063are.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yet the more \u200bmainstream applications and sites\u2062 seem to have alternative end goals. As Jon Birger, journalist and author of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Make Your Move: The New Science of Dating and Why Women\u2063 Are in Charge<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, has pointed\u2062 out, in the 2019 annual \u200dreport of Match Group \u2014 the parent company of Match, Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid, and Plenty of Fish, \u2014\u200b the words, \u201cmarried, marriage, wedding, couple, boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, husband, and wife\u201d do \u200bnot appear.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Such dating apps \u200bmake\u2062 a profit<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, not by creating permanent couples, but \u201cby attracting new\u2062 customers and by retaining old ones,\u201d Birger\u2064 notes. \u201cA lot of apps \u200dlike \u2062Tinder make\u2062 money off \u2062advertising, too. So, every time a Match or Tinder member \u2064gets married and stops using the apps, that\u2019s one fewer paying customer.\u201d Further, he adds, \u201cTinder, Match, and OkCupid do not want to get you off the market. They want to transform you into lifelong shoppers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_637749\" style=\"width: 880px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-637749\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sean \u200dGallup\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Match Group \u201cadmits as much \u200cin \u2063its annual report, boasting that \u2018successful experiences \u2026 drive repeat usage.\u2019 Translation: Start dating someone terrific on Tinder, and you\u2019ll keep returning\u2064 to the app to find someone\u2062 even\u2063 more terrific.\u201d For many, the combination of this perverse incentive \u200cstructure and the addictive nature of \u200dthe apps leads to a cyclical lackluster experience that goes on for years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Of course, dating applications (like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-is-for-stoners-commonwealth-becomes-16th-state-to-legalize-marijuana\/\" title=\"Virginia Is For Stoners: Commonwealth Becomes 16th State To Legalize Marijuana\">job placement services<\/a>) must be mindful of maintaining \u2063a positive \u200creputation to attract people in the \u200cfirst \u200dplace, and \u201cmarriage\u201d not appearing in the annual\u2062 report of Match Group is also\u2062 a reflection of shifting views on relationships.\u200d Yet, it is also the case that dating \u200dapplications develop and\u200d promote a virtual dating culture of their own, sometimes mimicking how women and men normally tend to interact with one another, and other times exacerbating and elevating the most negative of human\u2062 impulses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The user-selected filters (such \u2064as height preferences) on the sites and apps \u200cvary. Some are more robust and substantive, others sparser and shallower. \u200dAll have\u2063 benefits and downsides. They necessarily narrow a daunting pool of people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But many apps impose\u200c additional algorithmic \u200dfilters of their own that give top priority to looks, and users are sometimes filtering out people virtually they might very well consider in person. (Physical attraction\u2063 is certainly important, but dating profiles \u200cthat are \u2063almost solely comprised of photos, \u200clike those \u2064on\u2063 Tinder, operate as hook-up advertisements.) There is \u2064a delightful mystery to\u200d attraction and\u2064 compatibility that \u200ddefies algorithmic precision.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Personal filters are also \u2063only\u200d useful if users know what they\u2019re looking \u200cfor in a partner, which is\u2064 not always the case. Those in their 20s seldom have a clear \u200cand immutable \u2063vision of their futures, as indicated by \u2064the fact that \u2064the average \u200ccollege student changes his or her <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/utulsa.edu\/normalizing-the-norm-of-changing-college-majors\/#:~:text=On%20average%2C%20college%20students%20change,new%20study%20from%20the%20EAB.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">major at least three times<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Further, in \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2004-17367-002\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce: \u200bReport of a 25-Year Study,\u201d<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  University of California, Berkley professor Judith S. Wallerstein and San Francisco \u2064State\u200c University professor Julia M. Lewis found\u200d that children of divorced parents are often \u2063unsure of what to value and look for in their future \u2064spouses. And the generations migrating to dating apps are\u2062 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2010\/03\/22\/missing-mom-or-dad\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the least likely<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to have been raised by both parents. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unsurprisingly, men and\u2064 women filter through profiles in different\u2062 ways. Men tend\u2063 to take a scatter-shot approach,\u200d liking a high number of profiles in hopes of a few reciprocations they \u2064will later comb\u200d through in more detail. They generally <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/the-state-our-unions\/202208\/whats-behind-the-rise-lonely-single-men\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">outnumber \u200cwomen on the apps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, sometimes\u2062 two \u200dto one.\u2064 As a result, women can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2023\/02\/02\/key-findings-about-online-dating-in-the-u-s\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">become overwhelmed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  \u2064and bombarded by\u200b messages from men who may or\u200c may not have read their profiles. Women\u2019s way \u200cof filtering is to raise their standards and sometimes dismiss\u200c men for minor flaws\u200c or infractions. Many men and women imagine\u200d there is someone better out there and become addicted\u200b to the slot\u2062 machine-like experience of scrolling through seemingly unlimited profiles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In addition to being deflated by cognitive\u2062 dissonance, female \u200busers of \u2063dating apps and platforms can develop a \u200bskewed perspective \u200dof men.\u200b The majority of female online daters have been sent an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2023\/02\/02\/key-findings-about-online-dating-in-the-u-s\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">unsolicited sexually explicit image or message<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u2064 Individuals who utilize dating apps are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ifstudies.org\/blog\/who-uses-dating-apps\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">more likely to engage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  in sexual deception, have negative drinking and\u200d sexual behaviors, and have adversarial sexual beliefs (\u201ce.g. how \u200cmuch participants agreed with statements like \u2062\u2018Sex is like a game where one person \u2018wins\u2019\u2063 and\u200d the \u2062other \u2018loses\u2019\u201d). These \u200care not preconditions for positive interactions and can influence\u200c future dating behavior; women, more than men, report being single because\u200c they <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.00746\/full\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">are afraid \u200dof getting hurt<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Women \u201cswipe right\u201d only <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eviemagazine.com\/post\/women-more-selective-80-men-unattractive-on-dating-apps-recent-research\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">about 30% of\u200b the time<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and men with above-average combined\u2062 income and education receive about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ifstudies.org\/blog\/on-internet-dating-sites-women-prefer-men-with-higher-incomes-and-more-education\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">three times as much interest<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  than those with \u2062average income and education levels. Dating app algorithms also boost the most \u2063\u201cliked\u201d profiles. As a result of these dynamics, a small percentage of male users receive a lot of attention. Often, \u200dthey do not want to commit to a relationship, and a\u200b hook-up culture prevails.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some will\u2062 find\u200b online dating\u2063 exciting for \u200da while, and others really will\u2063 find love. But what\u2019s next for those who, finally frustrated\u2063 with dating apps, give up on romance altogether?\u200b Many still wish to have a family. Turns out, there\u2019s an app for\u2062 that too. Just a\u2062 Baby, which matches co-parents and sperm and egg donors <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/tech\/tech-news\/swipe-right-sperm-donor-new-tinder-style-app-matches-prospective-n756821\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cis like Tinder\u2062 on prenatal steroids,\u201d<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  and \u2063the app Nodal is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/pro\/health-tech-deals\/2022\/09\/21\/nodal-launches-tech-surrogacy-5-million-seed\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cBumble for surrogacy.\u201d<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Such applications seem like the next step \u2063for \u2063those left unmoored by\u200c the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/americanmind.org\/salvo\/the-tech-trajectory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">tech trajectory<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. As one Millennial woman preparing to freeze her eggs for the second time <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/tech\/tech-news\/swipe-right-sperm-donor-new-tinder-style-app-matches-prospective-n756821\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">remarked<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, \u201cI believe social\u200b media has ruined dating: It\u2019s\u2062 a hook-up culture, and no\u2062 one gets to know each other long enough\u200b to know if\u2064 they would be suitable partners beyond\u200b the\u2064 romantic sense. Oftentimes I\u2019d go on meaningless dates, get stood up, blown off, or \u200dghosted. How will those odds ever lead to a successful marriage or kids? Likely\u2062 it won\u2019t. And it\u2019s rather exhausting.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The \u2063dynamics of dating apps are disheartening, and\u2064 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2023\/02\/02\/key-findings-about-online-dating-in-the-u-s\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">polls indicate<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  that about \u2064half of users have found the experience \u200bvery or somewhat negative. This could open up the opportunity for creative ways of introducing singles in person, like speed dating, matchmaking, or singles\u2019 events. Moreover, being cognizant\u200c of the negative impacts of the tech trajectory and where it leads will hopefully encourage singles to prioritize more traditional \u2062and embodied means of \u200bmeeting: through\u200d friends, family, and at church.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That\u2019s easier said\u200d than done, and to be sure, it requires a fair amount of work. \u200dBut considering the exhausting and dispiriting experience of online dating today, surely it\u2019s worth the effort.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Brenda M. \u200dHafera\u2063 is the assistant director and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/conservative-experts-express-hope-that-college-censorship-is-waning-at-aei-event\/\" title=\"Conservative experts optimistic about declining college censorship at AEI event.\">senior policy \u2063analyst<\/a> for the Simon Center for American Studies at\u2063 The Heritage \u200bFoundation.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The views expressed in this piece are \u200dthose of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily \u2064Wire.<\/em><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u2063 How has the prevalence of online dating \u200dapps contributed\u200b to uncertainty and \u2062fluidity \u2062in people&#8217;s ideas about marriage and relationships?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  S. Wallerstein and her colleagues highlight that people&#8217;s ideas about marriage and relationships \u2062have become more uncertain and fluid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In addition, the user\u2062 experience of dating\u2062 apps can be quite disillusioning. The larger pool of options does not\u200d necessarily translate \u2064into more successful matches. In \u2063fact, it often leads to\u2063 the phenomenon known as &#8220;choice overload,&#8221; where individuals struggle \u200dto make decisions due \u2063to the abundance of \u2064choices available. Research conducted by\u2064 Sheena Iyengar, a\u200c professor at Columbia Business School, found that when \u2064presented with too many options, people tend \u2062to feel overwhelmed and make less satisfactory choices.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Furthermore, the focus on superficial aspects and instant gratification on\u2062 dating apps can hinder the development of \u2062deeper connections. The \u2063emphasis on physical\u2063 appearance and the quick swipe culture undermine the importance of building emotional connections and getting to know someone on \u200ca \u2064deeper\u2064 level. The gamified nature of dating apps can \u2063also foster a \u200dmentality\u2062 of \u2063always looking for the next best\u2062 thing, which can prevent individuals from\u2064 fully investing \u2063in a potential \u2063relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is\u200d also worth mentioning the prevalence of \u2064online dating scams \u200band catfishing. The anonymity and distance \u2062provided \u2062by online platforms make\u2062 it easier for individuals to deceive others and create false identities. This can lead\u2063 to emotional and financial harm\u200b for\u200d those involved. The lack of face-to-face interaction and the inability to gauge someone&#8217;s authenticity and intentions make online dating \u200ba risky endeavor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Despite these challenges, online dating can still be a viable option for\u2062 those seeking companionship. It offers a convenient way to meet new people, especially for busy \u200dindividuals who may not have the \u2063time or opportunity\u200d to meet potential partners in\u2062 traditional settings. However, it is important to\u200c approach \u200bonline dating with caution\u2063 and realistic expectations. Building a genuine\u200d connection takes time and\u2063 effort, regardless of the \u2063platform used.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In conclusion, while online dating has the potential to be a great \u2063tool\u2063 for finding love, it is important to \u200drecognize the\u2064 limitations and pitfalls that come with it. The gamified nature, choice overload,\u2062 and\u2064 focus on superficial aspects \u200ccan hinder\u200d meaningful connections. Users must navigate through a virtual dating culture\u2062 that may not always align\u200c with their ultimate goal of finding a life partner. Despite these challenges, with \u2063a \u2064discerning \u2062approach\u200b and realistic expectations, online dating can still offer\u200d opportunities\u2063 for genuine connections.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>finding love often turns into a disappointing experience. Despite the abundance of dating platforms and profiles, online dating fails to live up to its promising potential. The convenience of browsing through curated profiles while waiting for a ride may seem ideal, but the truth is far from romantic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2310,"featured_media":2070142,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2070141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2070141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2310"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2070141"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2070141\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2070142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2070141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2070141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2070141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}