by Ryan
With the rise of technology, many turn to dating apps to find their love. However, most people have found out that; conversations in chats are easily manipulated into something we want to hear. But are there any prospects outside dating apps?
I’ve interviewed people who are in the age of 20-35, and most are tired of going into apps, and some have partners with longtime friends or met from places, like schools, parties, work, and their communities. All twenty of the interviewees have said that, while it’s harder to date outside dating apps, the relationships are far better because if they meet in a location they both like, they already share a common interest. Such as, meeting at a coffee shop both like, or a friend’s party. On the other side, using dating apps may be easier, however some may feel guilty about swiping left on others. And with that, it can be repetitive and exhausting to do, even with finding a match, most have found that the conversation can turn dry very quickly, and some even experienced getting an explicit photo without their consent. So, is there a way we can live our romcom fantasy in the real world? Which leads me to my next point.
Third spaces. Where are they now, and why has it become difficult to find them? With the rise of suburbanization, many walkable third spaces have been affected. Most cities have turned cars into necessities, and it’s one of the main causes of “natural love” depleting, and why it’s harder to find communities we can be comfortable in. Therefore, we turn to dating apps because they’re inexpensive and efficient. Unfortunately, with searching for “The One” we tend to dismiss some people that shows attractions towards us, we also have expectations and different beauty standards, which can also make it difficult for us to find love in third spaces as well.
Could we find “true love” in dating apps? Short answer, yes. However, in my interviews I found; only THREE out of twenty have found lasting partnership in dating apps, Nine interviewees have found lasting partnerships at third spaces, and Eight had on and offs with dating app dates. However, many on the internet have found love in apps as well, though my interviews show a minimum chance, please keep in mind that I only interviewed twenty people, and being in a small town can also affect that. Furthermore, we should be a little bit optimistic about finding “The One”.
In conclusion, people’s opinions about each other can be a bigger block, than the rise of dependency in technology, and the shortage of third spaces with suburbanization.
Ryan's Thoughts 