We are finally starting to see a clearer picture of how MYNIPPON members and patrons in America are finding romance and relationships. The results of our survey are in. The answer is relatively simple: The
Internet (Related article: Finding
a relationship using the Internet). The #1 complaint that we heard prior to the Internet was how difficult it was to
meet people you liked. You were limited to introductions from friends and family,
serendipity (whether in a
bar or at a party or any place else where one would go to meet people), or waiting till Sunday to scan the local newspaper to see if there were any single people around. And if you were a bit old, you literally had to wait for a divorce to happen
in your area to find a single person again. Now the world of single people is only a click away.
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According to an another recent survey jointly conducted by Elle and
MSNBC, as many as 65% of men and 50% of women have signed up with an online personals
website. This is slightly lower than our own survey but that is because our website's audience is even more committed to finding a
relationship. And if you are wondering that they were all looking to find only
fairy tale romance, you are wrong. They have been looking for everything possible under the sun:
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 So what is the impact?
Well, eHarmony, that touts itself as the leading website for
marriage-minded folks, has been claiming that they have
more marriages per match among all other online dating websites. You sign up, get a free profile on 29 dimensions that have the highest impact on who you will have a good match with, and then you start to be matched with people you have a strong fit. No need to be frustrated about meeting morons, jerks, and losers. The website's professional approach makes sure that only serious, high-quality people sign up.
(Related article: Cheap
online dating options)
On the other hand, websites like
Lava Life
and Cupid Junction enable you to seek more casual relationships. Our research showed that women in particular had greater success in getting dates once they signed up on an online dating website. The reasons are obvious: it is hard for women to just go anywhere to meet new people and it is hard for them to directly approach men in the real world for casual romance. Online, it is a different story. They can clearly indicate
in their personal (Related article: How
to write a winning personal ad?) what they want and still maintain their privacy, anonymity (to some extent), and be safe doing
it (Related article: Online
dating safety tips). Naturally, men are benefiting from this trend. Women who meet men in real life whom they met online tend to have
intimate relations more frequently than when they meet them offline to start with. The time spent getting to know each other
online first breaks down some of the barriers.
The other beneficiaries of online dating are what we call as the 'ignored group'.
In a similar vein, people who are not so good looking (obese or physically disabled), or not so charming (shy or reserved folks or the ones who can not operate in a highly competitive environment in a bar or at a party), people who are interested in an interracial or even international
(Related article: Do interracial
relationships work?) relationship, people in 40s (Related:
Dating in 40s) or higher age bracket (it is so difficult for them to go to a bar to meet people but online they can even find younger people willing to date them), or finally, people who wants something that is not mainstream (e.g. people who are into
swinging or
bondage or other
fetishes).
According to a study by California State University at Los Angeles, the women have benefited more from online
dating than men. Suddenly, women are now free to find relationships on their own terms. They do not need to be asked for a date. For just $10-15 a month, they can be picky. If all they want is a one-night stand, they do not need to go to a bar, get hit on by a dozen morons, and then get laid by the best among the worst. Alternatively, if they are seeking a long-term committed relationship, they can
sign up with a couple of websites, keep looking till they find Mr. Right or even Mr. Perfect, get to know a person better, and only then meet him. No wonder then, the Elle/MSNBC study also finds like ours, that people are finding more
dates and relationships through online dating. (Related
article: Find
a soulmate)
Recommended links: Does
online dating work?
Online
dating tips and strategies for women
Real
stories of online romance
Younger
men dating mature women
Tips
to find a lesbian relationship
Response
to online personals
Online
dating mistakes
Online
lover
Can I find a serious relationship online
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