Internet Dating

Six months ago an old school friend and I were chatting over coffee, putting the world to rights as women. She was complaining about his lack of success in meeting the "right sort" of men. I asked her if she tried to use a meeting on the Internet, and the look of horror that quickly appeared on his face gave the instant answer - of course not! Internet dating, she informed me, was the sad, desperate, geeky or freaky.

Unfortunately, this type of reaction is typical of people from all walks of life. Why unfortunately? Because those who instantly dismiss such services are not eligible for a great opportunity.

The traditional argument for not using the Internet to meet someone, it is not natural. So what is natural? When people have always responded to their husbands, wives, lovers, and friends? Statistically, over the past 50 years, the most common for the husband was the meeting place of work. This is hardly surprising given the increase in time most people are at work. Other venues of bars, discos and parties, and few meet their lifetime partner early in life at college or university. However, the workplace remains a number of long-term relationships. The reason is simple and durable long-term relationships are usually the result of a strong friendship, and strong friendships form over time. Spend eight hours a day, five days a week with the same people and you get to know them very well. It is not uncommon in the modern world, to spend more time with your colleagues than your family, an unfortunate fact, but true to life.

The more time that we move from a society of work leaves less time to devote to the social environment outside the office, which means less chance to meet new people. So if you do not meet someone at work, where is it else? Enter the agency meetings.

Dating agencies are not a new idea, they have been around a very long time. The internet has simply served as a new medium for bringing people together has been proven and that the manner in which agencies have used for years. However, it offers unique advantages for those seeking a partner. First, it lowered the cost to run a dating service, which means agency dating has been opened to a much wider audience. Secondly, it has broken down geographical barriers in a way off-line agencies could ever hope for. This is important because not everyone is looking for their future husband or wife on their doorstep. Indeed, not everyone is looking for a future husband or wife, the explosion in internet dating, it is easier than ever to find new friends and correspondents across the world.

These two points mean that some of the largest agency sites now have more than three million members, and literally thousands of new members every day. With many people, if you are serious about finding a partner, lover or friend, then the Internet is simply too great resource to ignore. And internet dating is safe too, there is no real need to exchange names or e-mail, until you think you know someone well enough. All the services allow you block unwanted communication and so there is no fear of being harassed. Used sensibly, internet dating can be safer than any other way to meet people.

The Internet has revolutionized the way we work, shop, conduct our financial affairs, and entertain ourselves. To use it as a way to meet new people is a logical step in our rapidly changing world.

After this discussion six months ago, I convinced my friend to post a profile on a dating site, she did not even have to pay something to do that if she wanted to start sending messages to other people. Now, I never see because she is spending all her time with her new man. She did not find it in five minutes, as some of the sales pitches would have you believe, but then six months ago, she did not expect to find at all.
Internet Dating