Internet Dating is a bright and significant phenomenon of the 21st century. Many people today spend the lion’s share of their free time on the Internet, hoping to establish a special friendly or romantic relationship with someone. Users of dating sites enthusiastically await each new chat meeting and enthusiastically draw attention-grabbing profiles.
Online dating and virtual relationships are becoming more and more popular every year. And this popularity continues to grow steadily, as the Internet expands. The purpose of our review is to study the phenomenon of virtual relationships and determine the fundamental factors that affect the way people visit Internet dating sites.
It is noted that most site participants literally “rush into the pool with their heads”, hoping to find a potential partner without limiting themselves to a quarter, suburb or small country. People boldly leave their hometowns and even countries to meet a virtual friend or in reality strengthen online sympathy.
Virtual dating is gaining unprecedented popularity, because posting a profile allows people to introduce themselves to the whole world and colorfully talk about themselves in every corner of it. The process of filling out and posting a personal questionnaire on an online dating site allows a person to look at himself differently, to explore all the facets of his personality on his own, which is a great impulse to present yourself – the true one. And the concept of anonymity allows people to fully explore themselves without fear of condemnation or ridicule. Online dating sites liberate people in things and questions to which they usually react differently in real situations when talking face-to-face with a partner.
As soon as people have found out their true belonging to a particular social, religious or sexual group, they are working to present themselves to the world in the most favorable light, while preserving as much credibility as possible.
However, there are some disadvantages to using dating sites. Agree, thinking about virtual communication, we understand that some fraud is still present. And this is true! People intentionally deceive others in order to look more attractive, successful, to get more views of their profile and potential dates. But, it is worth noting that not everyone purposely distort reality.
To speak as frankly as possible or to embellish reality is an individual issue, depending on a number of reasons and goals of registering on a dating site. As you know, Internet relationships start for a variety of reasons. Anonymity on the Internet allows users to communicate with people who meet their emotional needs, regardless of their place of residence or religion.
Often these online dating turn into extramarital affairs, but in most cases they arise between single people who share common interests. Given the huge number of people who want to find their love and family on the Internet, for each of them there are excellent chances to meet a like-minded person.
People often and openly share their sexual preferences and interests on the Internet. Perhaps the most attractive feature of Internet dating is that people can express their “true face” as openly as possible and find partners who accept and respect someone else’s inner world. Sociologists and psychologists have come to the conclusion that the “true self” is revealed precisely in the virtual world. Unfortunately, in a real environment, the “true self” cannot always be freely and openly expressed. Thus, relations formed with the “true self” in mind often become more pleasant and lasting than typical ones created in the real world.
Experiments with the sexual side of online relationships are also becoming increasingly popular. The Internet provides users with a place where they can explore their sexuality in ways they might previously have imagined. Now they translate their fantasies into reality, and the Internet, if desired, helps them remain, at the same time, unknown.
For example, BDSM dating provides users with a huge scope for searching for partners with similar extraordinary sexual fantasies and fetishes. Such a dating site allows a person to transform, anyone can try on all kinds of roles and change their virtual image as many times as he wants.
It is worth noting that although Internet sex certainly has sensory limitations, studies show that the level of intimacy on the Internet is reached earlier than in real situations. All this happens due to the lack of social circumstances, the awkwardness or modesty of one of the partners, or the likelihood of early disclosure of the intentions of one of the partners. Online dating sites liberate where necessary, and hide the intentions of the interlocutors until the moment the partner decides to declare them.
A few years ago, the idea of developing personal relationships with someone through a computer and the Internet seemed unrealistic and just a motive for another melodrama. Now this is not only a very common phenomenon, but also a nice option that allows you to expand your horizons. The Internet today is a meeting place for people, like a cozy cafe or a noisy club. At the same time, the Internet gives the user a magic wand that will help make each meeting place unique, interesting, suitable for each of the partners.