Humans as a species are complex when it comes to relationships. The fundamental drive for companionship has remained unshakable for ages. History has a kaleidoscopic journey from love affairs, strategic alliances, secular matchmaking to finally the modern-day ‘dating.’
Just about three decades ago, dating entailed meeting a potential suitor through friends or family, a considerable period of courtship, and finally marriage. However, the game of love changed forever with the advent of the Internet. Love migrated from emails, social media platforms (eHarmony, Orkut, Facebook) to the most preferred medium of the 21st century, the dating apps. Currently, online dating business amounts to $63 M in India, according to Statista.
Lockdown Inspired Love
After the government issued lockdown in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, one might think that the dating scene must have suffered some blows. Conversely, the
After experiencing different applications and conducting a brief survey of users, the writer here has some insights on what clicks with the people.
As the famous author John Gray suggests, “Men are from Mars, and Women are from Venus,” this clearly reflects in the dating patterns as well. Men often look for pragmatic matches with nearby locations, striking physical attributes, exciting pictures, and sometimes a catchy introduction. Women, on the other hand, look for men with well-established careers, a composed exterior, traits of kindness like animal love, and often interactive bios.
Today Tinder, Grindr, OkCupid, and Bumble are among the most popular dating apps in India.
Is this a bubble?
Actual connections can be formed with quality conversations. Even the people practicing meetup and hookups can feel the beauty of bonding.
But with the speedy connection, the charm can also fade in no time. The alternative of more matches and multiple chatting buddies gives an out to a person. In the current scenario, when the couple encounters a mild hiccup, they move on to the next partner instead of solving the issue and exploring the dynamics of their relationship.
Which is why, for this lockdown inspired charm to survive, the logical options are to screen a suitor beforehand and stick with one potential date. Working on a connection will make lovers emotionally healthy and accomplished. Moreover, the much-wanted attention and appreciation from the online enchanters help boost self-esteem and expand personal horizons.
Love may have evolved over the years, but at its core, the notion of whimsy has always been present. And that factor is enough to convert this online love to meaningful relationships.
Author Bio:
An Engineer by training, Aesha Zala has a Master’s degree in Electronics & Communication. After a 3-year career in Vodafone Shared Services Limited, Aesha decided to pursue her long lost dream of writing professionally and has since never looked back. Her favorite authors are J.K. Rowling, Charles Dickens, Nicholas Sparks, James Kirkup, and O. Henry.