Changes in society are unavoidable. We are not the same people our predecessors used to be a hundred years ago, not to mention those who lived even earlier. Though certain traditions remain the same, for the most part, daily actions drastically change.

Since technology became the biggest influence on people’s daily lives, only a short amount of time has passed. Nevertheless, it is hard to imagine nowadays what life was like when there were no machines and gadgets helping even in simple activities. Can you imagine a modern woman doing laundry by hand or men riding horses to travel? Even though it used to be a reality for the most part of history, nowadays it is no longer a necessity.

When online dating became a thing it turned relationship matters upside down again.

The same changes happened in relation to dating. Even a century ago marriage was more of an arranged thing where parents decided for their children who would be a perfect partner. But over the XX century, young people got more and more freedom in dating and currently, everyone decides for themselves who to date.

When online dating became a thing it turned relationship matters upside down again. Not only do people choose a partner, but they have endless opportunities and options. Regardless of where you are, you can still meet a soulmate, both in your area and on the opposite side of the world, so Russian guys can start dating American women and it works with other countries as well. We decided to share the facts we found out about online dating changing society itself.

Meeting each other

The process of meeting each other is obviously no longer the same. Even a decade ago there were several ways to meet a potential partner:

• through friends;
• at a party;
• in a bar or a restaurant;
• in school or college;
• at work;
• through family.

The easiest thing was to meet a new person through those you already know. Friends knew especially well who to invite to their parties or just casual meetings. So once they met an interesting individual, they tried to keep in contact and eventually bring him or her to the inner circle to get acquainted with more friends. Sometimes people felt initial attraction while seeing each other at such gatherings and a couple was created.

Places of common business also helped to initiate feelings between multiple individuals. Younger people at high school or college just naturally tend to communicate with comrades and eventually form strong bonds with people of the opposite gender. While these relationships were not always life-long, some of the couples who met at college are still happy. And while many people judge those who have affairs at their workplace, it still used to be a perfect location to meet a partner.

And even though you might think that the main appreciators of online dating are younger people, it is not true at all.

As for family members, the second half of the XX century made couples created with the help of relatives less common than ever before. But there are still cases when like-minded individuals meet because their family members decided to invite them both to the same event or family gathering. Sometimes it is made intentionally, sometimes it is just an accident, but all in all, there are many examples of couples created in such circumstances.

But online dating now is the prevailing way to meet a partner. No less than 40 per cent of people in developed countries admit they use online dating platforms on a regular basis and that number is still increasing. And even though you might think that the main appreciators of online dating are younger people, it is not true at all. While they definitely know more about anything connected with technology and the Internet, statistics show that there is another group that is as involved in online dating. And this group consists of people over 40 and even those who are retired.

Advantages of online dating

Online dating definitely has many positive sides despite the rumours of people who distrust internet dating spread. These advantages vary depending on the social group we are talking about. Let’s talk both about what attracts the younger generation to online dating platforms and why older people are also eager to use them.

Online dating for people in their 20s, 30s and even teen ages has the following perks:

• It is very common among those of the same age, so many people decide to join internet dating sites because all of their friends do so;
• It is a perfect choice for busy people, who younger individuals definitely are. Studies, work and business don’t leave too much time to go out and have fun. And while this still happens, it is just more convenient to look for a partner online as it doesn’t require as much time. But also dating websites are handy to keep in touch as writing a message only takes a couple of seconds;
• It is international. And modern youth appreciates travelling a lot. Many of them also migrate to other countries. In this case, online dating is not necessarily used to find a life partner. It simply gives an opportunity to meet new friends and have fun fast after moving to a new place. And there are no worries you will have to hang out with somebody you don’t like just because it is the only option: the whole database of a dating website is yours to look for a friend or lover.

As for mature people, there are multiple advantages as well:

• With age options get limited. Meeting a partner through friends is no longer possible as everybody is taken. And those who are free are definitely known to be not the best option. Online dating websites for mature people give an opportunity to look for a partner who is not possible to meet in real life. They broaden the horizons to those who have already given up hopes about meeting the love of their life;
• It is a way to keep up-to-date. While it is commonly accepted that young individuals appreciate technology and use it in every aspect of their lives, mature people don’t usually do this. But when they start to, there is no way back;
• Making friends is possible. As we said before, younger people look for friends on online dating websites when they travel or move to a new place. But older people often have nobody to spend time with even in their location. That only means they are in need of more options, and online dating can easily provide them with such.

Things which matter

If you asked a person at the end of the XX century what is the most important thing in a partner, you would probably hear about stability, income and maybe even origin. While these things remain important nowadays, there are many other criteria that came to the forefront.

Money issues are not widely discussed in public space. Online users know well that protecting themselves and their possessions is an important part of online communication in general. So salaries are never mentioned in personal profiles, neither are they discussed on first dates as it is known as an improper topic.

Origin is not important anymore as well. Who would care where their partner is from if he feels like the right one? The background, family and any other details like that vanished and borders disappeared.

So what matters now at the moment you meet your potential partner (or come across their profile in a dating app) is the information they shared online and therefore the one which is available to judge by. So there appeared the features which are vital for those looking for a lover.

1. appearance;
2. interests.

The first one is just the easiest thing to estimate. It is not possible to see a profile without an image of the person who created it. So you immediately have a chance to see how he or she looks and understand whether this suits your taste or not. However, there are certain pitfalls as well. It especially concerns women who are eager to find a significant other. Many of them alternate the photos using graphic editors. These might seem like small changes, but altogether they create an unrealistic image of a non-existent human who won’t be even recognizable when the meeting happens.

As for the interests, these are which profile descriptions are for. As you are going to spend most of your free time with a partner, especially if the relationship happens to be serious and leads to marriage, you want them to be the one who shares your idea of a perfect pastime. Detailed profile descriptions help to understand whether this person will be a nice option to spend time with or, on the opposite side, there won’t be a single topic to talk about so it is better to swipe next.

Communication in general

Communication between partners in a couple has also changed significantly since online dating platforms became a thing. First of all, it became especially simple to keep in touch wherever your significant other is. Before working people only had a chance to see each other at dinner, spend the evening together and then part again in the morning and lead such a life until a weekend. And what a disaster it would be if one of the partners went on a long business trip, especially if it happened to be in another country.

Nowadays such issues are no longer a subject to worry about. If there is a break in the middle of a working day, you can always send a short message to your love and briefly discuss the ongoing things. In case you need to part for a while and won’t have a chance to see each other in person, there are not only text chats, but also video calls and other helpful tools which won’t allow you to feel lonely regardless of the distance.

Many young people confess they have never asked their significant other out in person.

Date organization also became a totally new process. Many young people confess they have never asked their significant other out in person. There is just no need for it: it is much more simple to agree on the time and place of the meeting a day before it happens or even in a couple of hours. And if some changes need to be made, it is also easily solved in a single text.

But there is also a negative side. People nowadays break up via email as well. On one hand, it is psychologically easier to not watch your ex-partner go away, especially if you still have feelings. You don’t have this awkward conversation before you part forever. And you even have better chances of remaining friends if that is what both of you want as keeping in contact is easier than ever. But as an obvious disadvantage, there is a lack of personal involvement which might seem rude for some people.

As you can see, there are a lot of things that have changed after online dating became a regular part of our lives. Are these things good or bad? It is up to you to make a verdict.