Another email from a reader….
Dear Lucy,
I was just wondering what you think about internet dating as a way forward for us single people. I have had a couple of bad experiences so far and haven’t seen you ever write about dating online. Do you have an opinion on that then? What have been your experiences so far?
Anon.
Dear Anon,
Funny you should ask because the whole concept has been very much at the forefront of my mind recently. Several friends have recently met men online and seem to be very happy, but I can’t quite bring myself to do it.
Why? For a number of reasons, not least because there seems to be a certain amount of inevitable sex involved….
Because it feels very two dimensional and looking at a photograph isn’t going to make me feel any chemistry.
Because I find the whole thing a little bit sad and a little bit scary.
Because I know a lot of men who spend three months shagging a woman online only to move on when they start feeling that there are signs that a relationship might be evolving
Because I will probably catch an STD (I know several friends of friends (naturally) who have had this problem
Because I have faith in real life. In real life relationships that come about through friends of friends.
I have issues with the whole online thing per se – one day we might all wake up and realise that we have been living in a digital bubble and are no longer able to conduct real life relationships
All that said, I know it’s supposed to be the way forward and lots of people have found happiness that way because it’s a time thing.
Because I don’t want to be defined as someone who is actively “looking” for a relationship. I would rather fill my life with other riches – children, family, friends, work, interests and then see what comes of all that. I can’t bear the thought of looking desperate.
Is that enough to be getting on with?
Would love to hear anybody else’s thoughts on the matter
