Traditional wisdom dictates that the Internet is good for three things: Pictures of grammatically challenged cats, frighteningly specific niche pornography and this bundle of adorable.
Increasingly however, people are also turning to the ‘net to find romance. As recently as a few years ago I remember there being a pretty intense social stigma attached to the concept of finding lovin’ on the web that wasn’t in .jpeg format.
That said, as I was thinking about this yesterday I realized that I don’t know anyone who has never sparked some kind of romantic thing online.
Has the stigma died off? Is online dating, whether via online personal ads or e-flirting with an attractive Facebook contact, totally a valid way to find a mate now? Have you ever used the tubes as your own personal sexy time catalogue?
I met the Love of My Life on Facebook, unintentionally and unexpectedly. It was a completely normal experience, and given that we connected over our mutual “likes”, the connection was built on more long-term viable criteria than how we physically appear to each other.
I recently met the love of my life online: EGGS!!!!!!!!!
Hi Earnest. Can you guess who this is? harharharhrhrrrrrrrrr
I spent about three years dating via internet sites. No one I met and dated was what I would call weird or creepy. I eventually met the person I’ve been married to for nearly seven years now. It’s a totally viable way to meet people. Most of my single, middle-aged friends use one – or several sites – to find dates.
I met my girlfriend of two years on the Mercury personals. I figured I wasn’t going to meet anyone creepier than myself, so what the hell.
Wow. I was hoping that the results would lean toward the stigma being a thing of the past, but I was totally not expecting so much support for the “personal ads” option.
Now I’m kinda wondering that that means sociologically.
(PS: Yes Jen, I can. Because I’m a wizard.)
Maybe you should kinda take a sociology class.
I met my wife purely by accident on a music usenet group a million years ago. It didn’t work out, but not because of how we met.
Over the last year I’ve been on multiple dates via match & okcupid (although my merc ad goes unnoticed – WHY DON’T YOU LOVE ME?), had a short term relationship, getting into a (long term?) relationship now. Everybody I’ve met has been totally normal and great – without this form of dating I’d likely never have the chance to meet them since our social circles don’t intersect.
These people post comments on blogs. You mileage may vary.
I met my wife on the web back in 2001. We lived on opposite coasts of the US. Cyber dated for eight months, a one week vacation (me to there.) I moved to Georgia, we dated for another nine months. Married in May 2002. First for both of us. We are in our 50s. We couldn’t be happier. Neither of us have children.