In the past, in order to find that special someone you had to go to through the grueling process of dating – a lot. With the onset of the speed dating phenomenon and the subsequent age of internet dating, all that may be in the past.
Speed dating is, in short, a large grouping of single people who spend 3-10 minutes with each other on “dates”. If one party considered it a success, they take down their date’s name and then move on to the next. At the end of the event, each participant submits a list of the dates they would like to pursue. If there is a match, contact information is exchanged via the event organizers.
Speed dating first appeared in Beverly Hills in 1998. It was originally created to help Jewish singles meet potential marriage partners, but thanks to popularity on hit television shows and movies, it has become more mainstream with people of all walks of life.
Following the onset of speed dating, a similar, more technologically advanced method of getting a date was found with the invention of the internet dating sites. Online dating is becoming more and more popular by the day, with people of all ages and backgrounds. It allows the user to upload little more than a picture and a short self-description before being able to search the thousands of other members.
While critics will state that getting to know someone requires more than a “picture and a paragraph”, the truth is that we make judgements in real life based on little more than how someone looks and the first thing out of their mouth. How is simply presenting this online any different?
Match.com was one of the sites that headed off the explosion of internet dating and it is doing much more than just providing members with a list of other members. Users enter in their preferences for dates, both the superficial and the deep criteria, and the website matches them with similar users.
Of course, it didn’t take long for free dating services to pop up, relying solely on the advertisements to pay the bills. Singlesnet.com provides users with a totally free membership to meet other local singles. In addition to the free sites, specialty dating sites are becoming more and more popular, like Jdate.com to meet other Jewish singles. Dating sites that cater to a specific demographic are becoming more in demand.
Speed dating and internet dating are really one in the same, the only difference being the face to face interaction of speed dating which some may consider a positive while others, a downfall. The truth is that neither is better than the other; both are legitimate ways to meet singles and start lasting friendships.
