:: netwoman's blog ::

Internet Dating a Class Issue?

I never thought it would be possible to be too tired to blog. I have been raking leaves all day (unlike Electric Venom who is raking debris from her yard) and I am too sore to type (who knew?!)

Future Now blogs about "Love in the Time of No Time By" JENNIFER EGAN in the NYTimes. More and more Americans are spending an enormous amount of money on internet dating services. Membership fees and the aid of digital cameras are emptying the pockets of people. This is expensive stuff - not many freebees out there in cyberloveland. You need cashola to meet the new elite on the internet. Is this a class issue?

People are heading to the Internet to look for relationships, though women and men are having different types of experiences online. There is also a lot of 'fudging' going on when people write their personal profiles - something quite noticable when you meet these people face to face. Profiles are like resumes, snipits of our existence - you can be truthful or not. Will you really tell people that you are overweight or living under the poverty level?

This is a good article that outlines some of people's experiences with online dating. I think what is most interesting though, is the large number of people looking for love in cyberspace, given that many people don't want to go to a bar.

"The societal reasons for this fury of activity are so profound that it's almost surprising that online dating didn't take off sooner: Americans are marrying later and so are less likely to meet their spouses in high school or college. They spend much of their lives at work, but the rise in sexual harassment suits has made workplace relationships tricky at best. Among a more secular and mobile population, social institutions like churches and clubs have faded in importance. That often leaves little more than the ''bar scene'' as a source of potential mates. (Many single people I spoke to saw this as their only option, aside from online dating.) "

I hate meeting people in bars (I just don't go anymore), and have tried some online personals. But there is still much physicality attached to virtual courting. When I post a picture, I get many responses; no pics, no hits. Of course, I am guilty of the same thing. Not that looks are everything, but there should be some attraction or interest, no? Yet, I am still skeptical of online dating (concerns for crazy people). I know many people who have married online love interests, but so far it doesn't work for me.

The opening line in the article is "The city is full of people we can't reach." But we have to remember that the internet is also full of people we aren't reaching.
I guess I wasn't too sore to type afterall.

posted by Netwoman @ 8:20 PM