TED talk on online dating yikes

[Jolt]

Me? I've been single for so long that I've no idea how to get started in the "modern" dating scene. Hopefully I will just meet someone as I go about my usual activities

Meeting someone in the course of usual activities would be nice! The whole online thing seems like it sets up all sorts of expectations and pressure, besides the fact that it is so easy for people to be fake.

[lph]

What I don't get is why people even want to be fake. I mean, sure I can understand glossing over one's worst sides, and overselling the good sides, posting a photo that looks really good, but why would anyone want to post completely fake photos or information? Isn't that just going to be horrendously embarrassing once you meet up?

[Catrin]

Meeting someone in the course of usual activities would be nice! The whole online thing seems like it sets up all sorts of expectations and pressure, besides the fact that it is so easy for people to be fake.

Indeed, though I've never understood it. All I was saying is there have been those who have found long-lasting relationships and marriages from internet dating, and indeed, one of the happiest couples I know married 35 years ago. She was, quite literally, a mail-order bride from Romania. So, you never know.

[GLC1968]

I met my husband on Match.com. Our experience was quite similar to that woman's success story - our first phone conversation was also 14 hours long...overnight. I hung up with him, went for my run, showered and went to work that morning! We met face to face a week later and were married 9 months to the day after our first date. That'll be 11 years ago as of next week.

After participating in our wedding, my brother went on Match.com and ended up meeting his wife of 7 years, so yeah...it works.

Her story of the guy ordering all that stuff? I would have stopped him in the middle of it and questioned what the hell he was doing!? That's crazy behavior and shame on her for not recognizing it or saying something sooner!!

That said, meeting online is not much different than meeting in real life except that you often get the chance to get to know the person before even knowing if there is a physical attraction there. I remember telling a friend of mine before my first date with my husband that if there is even the slightest physical attraction or spark there that I was done for because I was already crazy about him. When she called me at the pre-arranged time during our first meeting (we always played it safe), she asked "Well?". I said "I'm screwed" and she laughed and hung up.