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Should You Consider an Internet Romance?
Carly's quest in finding
a suitable partner for marriage seemed impossible. She
found the singles scene at clubs to be uncomfortable
and her social circle seemed to consist of more married
friends with a shrinking amount of singles.
Although she had heard of internet dating
and saw the ads, she had hesitated to take what she
imagined was a rather drastic step. What would her experiences
be like? How would she find someone online? What were
the risks?
If you are in this situation then quite
likely you've considered venturing into online dating
to meet someone.
Our lives are increasingly dependant
on technology as opposed to face-to-face contact. It
is not at all surprising that millions have already
ventured into online dating as a way to find a relationship
rather than waiting for a chance meeting.
But what are some of the findings as
researchers spend more time analyzing the behavior of
online daters?
In a study reported on CBS News, 15%
of Americans with internet access have visited an internet
dating site. 27% of them were 18-29 years old. Obviously
online dating is a popular pastime.
The same study showed that 33% of unmarried
internet users thought that dating online was a safe
way to meet people although 34% acknowledged knowing
someone who had a bad experience.
In another study reported by BBC News,
online dating was seen as a way for women to feel empowered
in relationships. The conventional inhibitions that
they had in face-to-face relationships were replaced
by a more upfront and in-control attitude when given
the anonymity of the internet. Could this improve their
chances at finding a perfect relationship?
Professor Helen Petrie was quoted in
the BBC interview as stating "There are people
who lack interpersonal social skills and would find
it very difficult to meet people in bars. They may find
it easy to meet in an internet room, but they still
have the problem of meeting them face to face and if
they have gone too far with the internet relationship,
they may find that traumatic."
The truth is, many individuals find
the anonymity of online dating encourages a certain
amount of exaggeration or lying. While some claim that
we always hide things at the beginning of a relationship,
trying to put our best foot forward, the internet makes
it easier to hide such things as facial expressions,
income, marital status and even criminal records.
So while you may find, like Carly, that
finding a relationship in the 'real' world is difficult
- if you are still considering online dating it is wise
to use caution and common sense. Be careful what you
say about yourself and try to verify as much information
as possible before meeting or personally contacting
anyone you've met online and never meet them alone.
1howto.com
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