Has the Internet had a positive effect on society? This is such a huge question, and the answer is surely a resounding yes. A case in point would be the worldwide impact of the Coronavirus in 2020. Without the lifeline provided by websites or online publications, so many people would have been marooned, cut-off from family and friends, denied access to vital information.
Where romantic relationships are concerned, the advent of dating sites like this has made it so much more convenient for individuals to connect with prospective partners. Anyone can sign up to a date site and get in touch with a diverse range of kindred spirits in no time. Here are some of the main ways the Internet has impacted relationships.
Internet dating has broken down barriers
Not so long ago, relationships tended to be influenced by the practicalities of location. If you were a single seeking a partner, you’d head off to your local nightclub, where you could take your pick of individuals from your neighborhood. The exception might be holiday romances, but on the whole, your ‘dating pool’ was confined to people sharing your geography.
Online matching means relationships can be sparked between singles from any part of the country, or cultural background. Many are attracted to meeting foreign partners.
Singles can be readily matched on compatibility
Searching for a prospective love interest in an offline situation might mean bumping into a stranger in a singles bar. There’s no way you could know anything about their background; this is information you can only discover over time.
With the Internet, you can find out so much more about someone you might have been attracted to by their online photo. Hobbies, passions, interests, aspirations, these will all be described in their dating profile. You can select someone to start a relationship with based on how compatible you feel they’ll be.
Dating is now a 24/7 activity
Previously, getting to know a new partner would be an intermittent affair, depending on when it was convenient to arrange your next date. You might also look forward to a daily phone call to touch base and keep the courtship flowing. With the Internet, you can make contact at any time of the day and night while your relationship progresses.
Should you happen to be parted for any reason – work commitments, university or whatever – the Internet can provide video chatting facilities that will bring your partner right into your living room. Or the bedroom.
There can be too much virtual communication
One drawback of the Internet is the degree of distraction it can instigate. It can be very difficult to switch off from your various channels of communication. At times when couples would traditionally be drawn together – while enjoying a meal or cozying together at nighttime – the mobile gadgets often remain within arm’s length, the allure of messages and notifications hitting the screen an ever-present temptation.
Social media has been a boost for romance
Dating sites have revolutionized how we form and maintain relationships. They can also seamlessly slot into other aspects of our web presence, with app versions available to download. You might well be getting familiar with someone on your favorite matching site, while occasionally dipping into other aspects of your social media for some background details. This is not necessarily snopping.
It’s merely taking a proactive interest in a potential partner by checking out their Instagram posts, who they happen to be friends with on Facebook, or what types of comments they might be making regularly on Twitter. Again, this allows singles to fine-tune aspects of compatibility.
