ONLINE DATING MYTHS
Restoring Your Trust in Online Dating: All the Myths You Need to Know
It is ten years ago.
You’re sitting in front of your computer, trying to figure out what photo to use for your dating profile. As you’re browsing through your old travel pictures, you start reminiscing about how you used to love miniature making and thought it was worth mentioning in your bio.
However, you don’t know what to do next. Dialing your brother’s phone, you waited for him to pick up. When he did, you told him about what you were up to and even asked him what he thought you should do next.
He just laughed, and laughed, and laughed.
Before it was socially acceptable, being an online dater meant you were foolish, lonely, and desperate enough to rely on computerized matchmaking. Most people had a negative perception of the trend. Many said it degraded genuine romance and that it contributed to the rise of the hook-up culture.
Indeed, it’s hard to trust online dating if you’re not happy with what you find.
By now, you must have gone on a few dates with ladies you met online, only to find that some of them weren’t as truthful as you were and that some were only fooling around. You may feel like you hit a wall, but the truth is, you haven’t even reached half of your journey.
It’s fascinating to know that the stigma of online dating apps has declined despite the misinformation about it. But finding love online has more than what meets the eye.
Debunking the Myths of Online Dating
Though many people disapprove of finding love online, the number of online daters continues to rise and is expected to further increase in the years to come. In fact, Statista projected nearly 280 million users of dating platforms by 2024, with 113 million of them favoring matchmaking services and 70 million who classify them as casual daters.
Furthermore, the global revenue of online dating services has reached 655 million U.S. dollars, and by 2024, it is estimated to hit over 2.5 billion U.S. dollars.
Still, false information about online dating exists. That said, here are some myths that need to be made clear:
Myth #1 Online dating kills genuine love and relationships.
Because of the convenience dating platforms give, many people see it as one of the reasons why the concept of monogamous relationships shrunk.
According to the Statistic Brain Research Institute, over 17% of marriages begin online. At the same time, they are less likely to end within the first year when compared to marriages that started offline.
Couples who met each other online have higher marriage satisfaction than those who didn’t.
Myth #2 Everyone lies.
People know that online dating platforms are crowded with hopeful singles. Because of this, there is a widespread belief that some online daters take advantage of these gullible dating site users.
Many believe that most online daters lie about their age and appearance so that a potential partner would be interested in dating them. However, it is important to recall that in all social situations, dating is when people lie the most, regardless of whether they are online or offline.
Myth #3 Relationships that begin online don’t last.
Meeting a partner through an online dating app is not everyone’s cup of tea. Like you, not once have you dreamt of finding love online. But the thing is, there’s no real basis to determine the longevity of relationships.
A study with a representative sample of 19,131 American adults found that over one-third of marriages that began online dating were far more successful than those that started offline.
Just because you met her online means she’s interested in you any less had you met her traditionally. What’s important is that you are both genuine towards each other and will stick around through thick and thin.
Myth #4 It is only for desperate people.
The popularity of online dating can’t be overlooked. No matter where you are from, thousands of dating apps are available for you to choose from.
Mainly, these platforms aim to help single people find their matches among potential partners outside their network. For the same reason, some think that online dating is the last resort for singles who can’t meet and date someone in real life.
Signing up for online dating is all about widening your horizons. The higher the number of potential partners you talk to, the closer you get to finally meeting your match.
And to be able to interact with your potential partners, you need to start dating online.
Myth #5 Most men are only interested in dating 20-year-old women.
There’s a stereotype that single men in their 40s are only attracted to younger ladies because they’re gorgeous and exciting. Because of this, older women on dating sites end up at the bottom part of the romantic food chain.
Again, this is false. Many men prefer talking to women close to their age, knowing that they are more mature. Men also know that older women know what they want and how to get it.
This doesn’t mean that younger ladies don’t have a shot at online dating like the older ones do. After all, a person’s age is the last thing a single person considers when looking for a match.
Myth #6 Signing up is dangerous.
True, the internet can be scary in a lot of ways. With all the advanced mechanisms up to date, there’s almost nothing technology can not do.
This is why dating people online scares many. To them, there’s only harm in talking to strangers and meeting them in the flesh. In truth, if heaven forbids, it only happens rarely.
Online dating lets you interact with potential partners from the comfort of your homes, whereas offline dating requires you to engage with strangers either at bars, parties, or cafés — which is riskier compared to the former.
There is no certainty when it comes to love. Especially if you want to meet your match, don’t hold back from all the negativities. While some people could have done better at it, there’s no reason you can’t. Know that what’s meant for you will always come.
