Many people have written books on dating and romance. How to meet someone at a bar, How to romance the pants off of a significant other and many many others.
Recently I discovered a book on Amazon called “I Can’t Believe I’m Buying This Book: A Commonsense Guide to Successful Internet Dating ”. The best part about amazon is that you can buy them used for $5. I almost can’t remember what dating was like before the Internet. How would you get to know someone? Talk to them in person?…HA! Our world has evolved from giving out your phone number to giving your MSN contact and adding them to Facebook with an ever so ironic and clever “poke”.
The magical world of the Internet has opened a Pandora’s box in the dating world. It can be the worst thing for relationships and hearts or it can be one of the greatest tools in the history of flirting.
The e-world is filled with all kinds of Internet relationships. From single serving sessions of love to people getting married over IRC (believe it or not but that couple is now celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary). We are a world filled with all kinds of lonely people. Some more than others, but granted we are all looking for some sort of connection… romantic or not. Hiding behind a screen allows a safe and secure place to be yourself or who ever you want to be. Craigslist personal connections or word of war craft are two great examples. They say the Internet was originally created for the military… well I think that’s a lie. I think the Internet was created for all the awkward people of the world to unite. Eventually it evolved into not only a tool for the awkward and nerdy but a place for our entire generation to socialize virtually.
With a tool that allows people to interact in such an easy fashion comes huge problems. Dating websites, pay cam/internet porn, and online networking sites have developed into a billion dollar industry because we’re constantly searching for a greater connection.
Facebook, Msn and Myspace seem to be three of the most popular forms of communication for my age group. I’ve seen many relationships grow and some of them crumble using these tools. It all starts with some casual flirting and maybe a comment on a picture or something of the sort. It then eventually grows into messages everyday and comments on profiles. Their friends add you and eventually you start to spend more time in person together and going out on group outings. Before you know it a relationship has evolved. Then the greatest event of the modern relationship happens “The Status Change”. These days nothing is really official until its announced to the virtual world you are “now listed as in a relationship”. Every thing runs smoothly until there are other interesting people that get added to the friends list. More comments happen, more messages and before you know it the poison of the Internet sets in. It comes in the form of jealousy, uncertainty and curiosity. These new people are coming into your partners life the same way you did. Do you trust them?
Relationships are more and more easy to find online, whether it’s long distance, in your home town, or by the minute… anyone can feel like they are special to someone from the comfort of their own home. Is the temptation too much? Can the modern relationship survive modern technology?