Is electronic marriage for you?
Online dating can get a bad press, but no one should be discouraged from looking for a romance on the Internet because sometimes it goes wrong. Finding yourself entangled with a love rat you met at a social event is more common. According to research by the University of Chicago, more than a third of marriages now start online. It also reveals that online couples have longer and happier marriages.
A study from the National Academy of Sciences agrees: “Couples who met online were more likely to have higher marital satisfaction and lower breakup rates than relationships that began in face-to-face meetings.”
People who meet online tend to be more mature and have higher-paying occupations. Among the least successful marriages were those in which people met in bars. A big supporter of online dating is Neil Clark Warren, CEO of online dating agency eHarmony. His goal is to reduce divorce from 50 percent to a single number. He says, “It’s not that it’s too easy to get divorced. The problem is that it’s too easy to get married.”
Jeffrey A. Hall, associate professor of communications at the University of Kansas, advocates for online relationships. “Online dating was once considered a bad or dangerous place, a storehouse of losers or creeps. We’re seeing a sea change in those views.”
Being single is the ultimate self-indulgence, but the problem is that you can become a social outcast. Grab a restaurant table that normally seats four and you’ll soon learn the meaning of indifferent service and funny looks. Booking a seat at the theater or taking a vacation of your own guarantees that you’ll look like Billy No-Mates.
Having been divorced, I had no desire to commit myself, but I did miss female company. When registering with an online dating agency, I frankly explained my preference for a platonic relationship. Such directness earned me respect. There was no shortage of dating opportunities and most were very enjoyable occasions. The economy with the truth is a trend when subscribing to online dating agencies. Typical and common is the use of flattering photographs, some of which were taken years before. A lady date used a picture of her daughter, since she got more dates. Men are just as adept at telling white lies. Part of my night’s entertainment was listening to the fails from previous dates. I hope you’re not talking about mine now.
While much of the research is based in the United States, it is likely to reflect European studies and findings. Online courts reach the altar in 18 months. Offline courts take 42 months, suggesting less trust and commitment. Subscribers to online dating services by gender are fairly evenly split. Two-thirds say common interests are the most important factor when looking for a partner. Physical attractiveness is also important, an asset placed at 49 percent. Personality is definitely a plus, while hair color preference is split evenly between blondes and brunettes.