Social media is a big part of modern society. Whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or some other form of social media (or dating apps like Tinder), almost everyone in America is a part of it. It’s funny, it’s entertaining, it can be informative, but most of all it’s interactive. You can communicate with almost anyone you want at any time. The most popular form of doing this, is through direct message (DM).
The DM has become the go to move for people trying to shoot their shot. It’s quick, it’s convenient, and it can lead to less awkwardness compared to approaching someone in person. However, there are negatives attached to the DM. Messaging someone online, instead of face to face leads to lowered inhibitions which can be good and bad, but mostly bad. This leads to people being more bold and persistent through DM versus in person. This can lead to inappropriate, or unwanted messages, due to the fact that people don’t think there will be real repercussions. It could also lead to catfishing, or meeting someone that ends up being creepy or undesirable in some other way that doesn’t come across through messaging.
The prevalence of the DM is also a problem. Everyone has the ability to DM someone they find attractive, so if you’re on the receiving end, the messages start to become white noise. You could try to be unique, and creative, but there’s still a chance that your message gets lost with the other messages. From the perspective of the person sending the message, it’s difficult to stand out from your competition in a meaningful way.
An easy fix for this would be to do things the old fashioned way, and approach people in person. For a hopeless romantic, such as myself, this is the way that we imagine meeting our future lovers. However that’s a somewhat unrealistic ideal. While some people might say that they prefer for prospects to approach them in person, and vice versa, I’m sure most people would like to go through their day without being bothered by some stranger. Plus, it takes a lot of courage to approach someone to begin with. Another negative of this approach is that it’s harder to say no to something, or someone, in person. Some people may not feel comfortable turning someone down who has approached them in person which can lead to worse outcomes in the future.
So what’s the answer to this dilemma that’s plaguing millions around the country, and even the world? How can us single folk find love in a world that’s working against us at every turn? Well, I’m not sure. Meeting new people is always going to be a risky experience, but the possible reward is worth it.
Just some guy on the internet 