Online Dating...

I have mixed feelings about online dating… I have tried it and while I did not make a love connection, I did meet some fun, smart, seemingly good guys in my experience. And, I have three close friends that have met their fiancés and/or spouses on online dating sites. What is particularly interesting to me though is the dramatically different perspective that men and women often have about such sites.

From the female perspective, online dating seems to be focused and intentional. It is for the woman that is definitely interested in pursuing a relationship. In fact, many of my single girlfriends tell me they avoid online dating until they are ready to be “serious” with someone.

In contrast, a male friend recently enlightened me to the fact that many men do not view it the same at all! In fact, he described it as often viewed as a tool to dating efficiency… He carefully explained the theory that many of his friends embrace. For example, if you meet a girl in a bar, there are many obstacles to going home with her that night: she is likely with friends and thus not going to ditch her friends to go home with a stranger; she may already be in a relationship; she may simply be disinterested in dating; etc.

By contrast, when a man meets a woman online, he bypasses the first stage: he already knows she is single and interested in him (after all, she has either initiated online contact or at least responded to his contact, demonstrating some level of interest); he can then move straight to Date #1 which will likely be free of obstacles such a pesky boyfriends and wing-women. Furthermore, online dating allows him to simultaneously interact with multiple women, thus increasing his chances of connecting with several singles in a relatively short amount of time (think: a different date three nights in a row). And finally, it is significantly cheaper than standing at the bar, spending all evening talking (and buying drinks) to one girl who may not even be available or interested!

So readers, online dating as a tool to meet your future life partner…Agree? Disagree?? Love ‘em? Hate ‘em??