Swiping Left On Tinder
Technology can do literally everything for us, but… do we really want it to? Thanks to the creation of dating apps, you can decide your potential future partner based on looks, vague personal statements, and their height (since it matters).
But many young folks feel that online dating just isn’t doing it for them anymore, and the answer as to why varies from person to person. Gen-Z is widely criticized for being an antisocial, anti-party, and anti-hookup generation, but the deterrence from dating apps lies in a complex web of issues that have plagued our bachelors and bachelorettes for generations.
Hoi An Photographer on Unsplash
Moving Past Mediocrity
Many men say that feminism has ruined their ability to date. While we’re certainly not accusing feminists of not wanting a relationship, we need to recognize what is causing the aversion to love. With buzzwords like ‘invisible labor’ and ‘weaponized incompetence’ constantly appearing in our TikTok ‘For You’ pages, the answer is simple: Women would much rather be alone than have to mother their romantic partner. As this battle of the sexes rages on(line), the widespread avoidance of dating apps is unsurprising at best, and a matter of safety and autonomy at worst.
Not to mention, didn’t we spend the past decade pleading for men not to form an opinion of us entirely on physical attractiveness? It does kind of seem like we’ve gone so far left we ended up going right. Yes, physical attraction in a relationship is important, but men and women alike are missing out on potential partners because of their personal rating system. Don’t tell us you haven’t immediately swiped left on someone without reading their bio, just because they “weren’t your type.”
The Reminiscent Romanticism of Y2K
We’ve reached a point in popular culture where nothing is refreshing anymore. Every show that comes out seems to be a remake of a remake as we reminisce on the simplicity of life before widespread social media— all while sharing our thoughts and feelings through said widespread social media.
In this intense whirlwind of new and old combining, the standards of dating 20 years ago seem like a novelty. You watch any network TV show that came out in the late '90s and early 2000s, and you see people just…talking. You watch someone approach another person and ask them out for coffee, and that second person agrees. Even if it doesn’t lead anywhere, the idea of taking the time to get to know a stranger, face-to-face, is virtually unheard of today. It’s nothing new to our older generations, but the simple act of meaningful conversation feels much more refreshing than going through another talking stage.
Despite this desire, it still seems difficult to actually achieve this form of connection. Gen Z and below are notorious for prioritizing their more hedonistic whims, and meeting new people can feel incredibly nerve-wracking. But the potential for IRL romance is out there, and if you want it, you’re gonna have to work for it just a little bit.
