Once upon a time, singles hoping to attract the attention of a prospective date had to go through an elaborate process, almost like an audition, or a job interview.
They had to wear their finest glad rags, then head out to their favorite singles bar or club, there to attempt to impress other singles with their wittiest chat up lines.
What had previously been a solitary pursuit was given the added impetus of communal get-togethers with the advent of lonely hearts columns in magazines and speed-dating evenings.
However, technology has put a completely new spin on things. By harnessing the Internet, singles can now date online, from the convenience and comfort of their own homes.
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Wider choice of partner
One of the most obvious impacts new technologies have had on relationships is in the choice now offered to singles.
By signing up to a dating website or downloading the corresponding app, you can be given access to an unbelievably diverse range of prospective partners.
Unlike dating in the offline world, where the pool of available talent will tend to be restricted to individuals from your own social background or neighborhood, with online dating you have just as much chance of connecting with a single from Paris, France as Paris, Texas.
Instant communication
New technologies have enabled a seamless and instantaneous connection between singles. If you do happen to go online in search of a partner and come across someone attractive amongst the personals on a dating site, you could be sending them a text message within minutes. You could receive a reply to that message in an equally short period of time. Exchanges can fire backward and forwards at any time of day, as these websites are open for business 24/7.
The power is in your hands
Using new technology has placed far more onus on the individual to decide what to do with all this potential for socializing. Browsing through the profiles on your favorite matching app, whom you actually choose to get in touch with is entirely up to you.
If you do initiate conversations with someone you quickly get the impression is being less than genuine, you can cut short their lukewarm advances within a couple of keystrokes, swiftly moving on to the next person who has caught your eye.
Social media in conjunction with online dating
The beauty of using new technology as a platform for relationships is the sheer versatility of what you can harness. As well as communicating with prospective partners via dating websites like this, you can also all make the most of a variety of other social media channels.
For instance, you could easily reach out to someone you find interesting on Instagram. Keep an eye on the images they publish, adding appropriate comments. Facebook also provides the opportunity to interact in a more informal way than dating sites. While the latter tend to be more about searching for a love interest, the former offer ample opportunities to connect with someone you’d like to get to know better by delving into their social life, and hobbies and interests.
The drawbacks of new technologies
One obvious negative about over-reliance on new technologies where relationships are concerned is prioritization. People can get too focused on the convenience of tapping into the latest trends and comments on their various feeds or browsing through the dating site profiles in search of new additions to the available list of singles. All this can promote a sense of impatience and flippancy when it comes to connecting. It would be a recommendation for anyone getting into online relationships to make a conscious effort to keep everything in perspective.