dating statistics
the qualms of online dating
online dating cracks me up. seriously, it does. i’ve noticed a few trends in the online dating world. i’d just like to throw out there that i do not, in fact, have an online dating profile. i never have, and i won’t until i’m 32 and past my prime. these observations are simply from various conversations i have had. (that disclaimer really makes it seem like i have one, doesn’t it?)
1. people are embarassed that they online date.
2. most people seem to lie about who they are, what they’re like, and what they look like.
3. in general, the girls are desperate and the guys are, well, horny.
Real-Life Online Dating Statistics
So I decided to do a little bit of research on the subject matter. I learned that there are over 20 million online daters at any given point in a year. Subsequently, I discovered that approximately 131,000 marriages are the result of an online date. That is 0.66%. You can see that in the above graphic. Barely. Your odds are so low that you can hardly see them on the graph; your chances of finding your soul mate via an online dating site are less than one percent. In fact, you have only have a 0.0013% chance of getting hit by lightning, which is only 5000 times better.
I have two accounts of online dating experience. One from a “typical” guy, and another from a female friend of mine. The girl is a sweetheart but has a little bit of trouble with guys. I think her confidence lacks a bit (it totally shouldn’t), and she gets discouraged too easily after overanalyzing the hell out of everything that happened (sound like anyone you know?). She goes from one online date to the next, and whereas she is totally out of these guys’ leagues, she ends up empty-handed and disappointed. And worst of all, she’s worried about what is expected of her physically before she even goes out for the first time! She has pure intentions and would legitimately like to meet someone who has the same interests and beliefs as she does. The guy, on the other hand, is honestly drop dead sexy. He could go out on any given night and find any girl he pleased. However, he online dates. There’s no need for it. Why? It’s easy. In his words: “The chicks online are single, cute, not confident, and desperate. Anything goes. It’s easy.” I’m not saying all guys that online date are like my friend here, but… this is actually the second time I’ve heard this.
Conclusion: don’t online date. Use your interests wisely, and meet real people who participate regularly in those events. If you run, go join a running group. If you dance, go to one of the MANY organized events around the city. If you play guitar, pray you’re a dude, because that game doesn’t work for chicks.
The reality of the situation is that it always seems the perfect person comes around when you’re not looking for them. Especially if you’re me - because I become a blithering idiot when I start to try in the first place. And all the good ones aren’t taken. They’re just not online dating.
i’d like to toss out another valuable subject matter worth discussing: breeding. intentional, unintentional, or otherwise (is there an otherwise)? how are we continuing our species…? certainly not by darwin’s rules anymore.
more on that to come.