10 Ways Dating Has Changed Since Our Parents' Generation & 10 Things That Have Remained Constant
10 Ways Dating Has Changed Since Our Parents' Generation & 10 Things That Have Remained Constant
Will Dating Ever Be Simple?
From swiping to situationships to non-traditional relationship styles, the arch of dating looks wildly different from what our parents experienced. At the core, however, dating hasn’t really changed at all. People are still searching for connection, chemistry, and that indescribable spark that makes it worthwhile. Here are 10 ways dating has evolved since our parents’ generation and 10 ways it's stayed the same.
1. We Have A Much Wider Radius
When it came to dating, our parents really only had exposure to friends or friends of friends, making their radius much smaller than what it is now. Today, we are cursed with too much choice thanks to online dating apps, which can literally match us with anyone in the world.
2. We Meet Online
Our parents had to get out of the house to meet people in person. Now, our first exposure is online. We can sift through the options and chat to see if we connect before meeting in person.
3. We Get Married & Have Kids Later
In our parents' generation, the average age people were having kids was 21. Now, it's around 28, and for many, that still seems too young. Women are more independent, and people in general are choosing to focus on self-growth before tying the knot, if they decide to at all.
4. We Make Our Own Rules
For our parents' generation, being boyfriend-girlfriend generally meant one thing. Today, almost anything goes, from polyamory to monogamish to complete anarchy, there are countless alternative relationship styles that work for different couples.
5. Gender Roles Have Changed
Traditional dating scripts, like the man always paying for dates or always making the first move, have faded. Women are more independent than ever before and are just as comfortable picking up the tab.
6. We End Things By Ghosting
Instead of meeting in person to break up, or at least doing it over the phone, it's now so easy to just not communicate at all that people prefer to ghost than to face confrontation. Ghosting has become a normalized breakup standard in modern dating culture.
7. Communication Is More impersonal rather than
Communication, at least at the beginning of a relationship, is much more impersonal now. Before, you had to pick up the phone and call. Now you can just send a "good morning" text or swap memes, and a phone call might actually be discomforting.
8. Dating Is More Confusing
Anyone who has had even a minute of experience with modern dating knows how confusing it can be. Boundaries are blurry, rules nonexistent, and you can't make assumptions or have expectations. Before, there was at least a clear end goal.
9. Attitudes Towards Intimacy Have Changed
Attitudes towards sex before marriage have changed significantly since our parents' generation. People now are generally a lot more casual about intimacy, and might even jump into bed with someone on the first date.
10. We're Less Into Labels
In modern dating, it's not unheard of for a couple to be in a situationship for several months or even years without feeling the need to label. For our parents, the formula was different, with commitment and clarity being an expectation much earlier on.
Now that we've covered 10 ways dating has changed since our parents' time
1. Certain Gender Roles Stuck
While many of the archaic gender roles of our parents' generation faded with time, some still stuck around. For example, while not necessarily expected in the same way, men still overwhelmingly make the first move and pay for the first date.
2. We Still Want Genuine Connection
At the core of it, the goal of dating is the same, even if rules and methods have changed. Underneath, we all just want to let our guards down and find an authentic connection with someone who sees us for who we truly are.
3. Attraction Hasn't Changed
Attraction is still as puzzling as ever, and that will never change. Someone who's perfect on paper might not stir up any magic, while someone "ordinary" might ignite a huge fire in your heart. Chemistry is still at the core of attraction, and it's still indescribable.
4. Romance Is Still Appreciated
While gender roles have changed, chivalry and romance will never die. Love letters turned into grand gestures became surprise trips, but the impulse to make someone feel special is as strong as ever.
5. Dates Look Similar
While the methods in which we land the first date might be totally different, the dates themselves look similar. Candlelit dinners, wine by the seaside, picnics: old-fashioned romance never dies.
6. The Emotional Process of Falling In Love Is The Same
The emotional process of falling in love; the butterflies in the stomach, the excitement, and the fiery passion are timeless. So too is the gut-wrenching feeling of heartbreak and loss after a breakup.
7. We Still Look For Compatability
In addition to a fiery spark, we look for compatibility because we know chemistry can't exist sustainably on its own. Shared values, mutual respect, and the ability to coexist easily are as integral as ever.
Chrysostomos Galathris on Pexels
8. There's Still Pressure To Conform
Although it does not likely rival what our parents experienced, there's still pressure to conform to societal and familial expectations. Some degree of anxiety mounts if you haven't gotten married or had kids by your mid-thirties, especially if your family adheres to more traditional cultural values.
9. The "Biological Clock" Still Exists
Especially for women, the "biological clock" starts ticking at a certain point, when fertility starts to decline. This adds a lot of anxiety for women who want to have kids but haven't found the right partner. Even though modern medicine has allowed people to have kids later in life, it's still a factor.
10. It Still Requires Open Communication
No matter what era we're talking about, trust is the foundation of a healthy relationship. To build it takes open communication and honesty between partners.
