Online dating often comes under a lot of criticism from people who have never tried it. Myths are bandied around it’s a medium which is a last resort for singles who have been unsuccessful meeting partners in the real world. Or that users hide behind fake profiles. So how could anyone fall in love online? In the first instance, dating sites are hugely popular. A recent survey of 14,000 engaged or recently-married individuals revealed one in five fell in love online. (As for the fake profiles, there can be occasional anti-social behaviour but anyone who isn’t playing by the rules will be reported to the site administrator and barred from interacting with the 99.9% of genuine users.)
People go online to seek interaction for any number of reasons. Some enjoy the social aspect and sign-up to participate in lively singles chat. Others are searching for something more fulfilling. But going back to that ‘one in five’ figure, it’s clear many join dating sites because they are searching for love. Here are some of the reasons why more and more of us are falling in love online.
Fast connection
In off-line situations, relationships can progress at a natural pace, with couples succumbing to their feelings over a period of time. Dating websites cater for our much busier modern lifestyles. Users are drawn to using this particular medium because they can make instant connections with potential partners. This doesn’t mean they are being overly impatient in getting to know other singles. It merely means they prefer taking advantage of the possibilities for what could be termed ‘fast-tracking romance.’ There’s nothing flippant about this, and the love will be just as vivid as anything in traditional dating. Finding yourself being introduced to someone who is compatible in every way lends itself to love at first sight.
Convenience
In the olden days, dating could be a laborious process as you experimented with a range of partners, whittling them down until you were fortunate enough to come across someone who appeared to be on your wavelength. With Internet dating the in-built alorithms operating in most websites ensure you are only matched with suitable singles. What’s more, you can carry on your courtship anywhere you wish; from the convenience of your own home or while sitting on a bus commuting to the office. This is condicive with creating a relaxed atmosphere, where the person you are chatting to becomes your sole focus. Feelings can quickly develop.
Compatibility
One aspect of offline dating which many singles have unfortunate experiences of is getting paired-up with someone you simply didn’t get along with. Whether it was boring hobbies you knew nothing about or unfortunate character traits, you undoubtedly felt disillusioned with the whole matchmaking process. With the online version you are in the driving seat. You decide who you wish to date. From the outset you can search for potential matches by specifying the parameters important to you. You can look for singles sharing your passions in life. In this way you’ll find it so much easier to develop a sense of chemistry with the prospective partner you begin talking to. This rapport can easily develop into something much stronger.
Journey and destination
With online dating you have more of a sense about what sort of a relationship you are embarking on. The web environment encourages mutual openness and honesty while you are connecting with each other. This will create more of a bond, especially if you are also clear about your aspirations. Once you start articulating your long-term visions, love will follow naturally.