Dating in the 21rst Century

Posted by StephanieKopf on February 23rd, 2012

Telecommunication statistics confirm what is basically widely known by itself, without the help of experts or surveys: in a way it has never been easier to connect with each other, because the technology for it is booming. Has already boomed. Will be booming. Whichever way you want to express it. I once read a column in a magazine where the author said that, for example, in Germany, there were more mobile phone subscriptions than people. Which can be easy to imagine. If, say, you have a mobile phone for work and for private use, that would be one reason for this development. Then maybe you have two or three children, all in school, and of course you want to stay in touch with them as well. Since they’re minors and for safety reasons, you are probably the one who subscribed for them. So all in all, the average person might have four mobile phone subscriptions in his name. Not bad!

Still, all these technological developments don’t spare us from the century-old emotional trappings connected with getting in touch with someone, particularly in our private lives. Which is only normal, we are human, after all. This is especially true in regards to dating. Another weekend has just been spent listening to girlfriends who’s boyfriends/cruses/love interests/current flames “just aren’t calling back”. You’d think, with all these means of getting in touch so quickly this problem would just go away. But no! Just because it’s a new, smaller, prettier phone, or just because social networking sites are so accessible, doesn’t stop the guy from not dialling your number or not messaging you. It’s the truth, ladies.

BUT what’s also the truth is that it just depends on the person, and the right person, who’s really interested, will find a way to get in touch, if for some reason he’s delayed or whatever. 

What’s important to remember is that in the end a personal meeting, saying something direct is more dependable than a message or communication sent to you by technological means. Whatever the content. Breaking up by text message, for example, is considered an all-time no-go. Confessing love? Hmmm, that might be alright, you would be happy about such a message, after all. BUT (and that’s another but), it would still be nice to hear it in person, so you know the guy means it seriously.

Still, to be fair, dating branching out in to online dating is also an exciting development, which may very well lead to a happy conclusion for people searching for someone. Dating portals show no sigh of slowing down or disappearing. The top 3 leading dating websites in the US based on visitor numbers in 2011 were the intriguing Plentyoffish.com, Match.com and Speed Date.

Love happens in all sorts of ways, in all sorts of places. You just never know. And on this note I will end this more than corny article.