The Death of Romance By Social Media Part 1

 Hello, friends!

This evening I’m going to be exploring the topic of looooooove, *inserts hearts and flowers and anything pretty*.

Yes, that’s right folks, love. 2016 has reached out it’s warming arms into a world of online dating, ‘sliding into the dm’s’ (in other words charming another on Twitter private chat) and right swipes.

I’m sure most of you are aware of the contemporary dating app, ‘Tinder’, a superficial community where tactful tag-lines and posey pictures determine whether you’re worthy of the ‘right swipe’.

The glorified swipe must be reciprocated by both parties to receive a ‘match’, followed by a not so glamorous one-on-one chat by all means leading to 4 am intoxicated wedding bells. With an estimated 50 million people worldwide using Tinder to find love, it’s out with the old and in with the new when it come to dating.

It’s goodbye to old-fashioned bar meetings and lustfully locking eyes with mysterious strangers in a crowded place, and a big hello to public profile judgement. Is it possible to judge one’s potential compatibility through the cyborg bigotry eyes of an iPhone screen? Surely not. ?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for a selfie, but it’s easy to get consumed. When a flood of right-swipes and virtual likes start to spew in, self-esteem hits the roof and it’s tough to overlook this. Us young ones have a huge appetite for social fulfilment. Rather than meeting organically through friends or at a tasteful wine-bar, we live in a society where you’re most likely to have been charmed online.

Take a look at this 

source: www.youtube.com

So is Tinder killing love? Perhaps.

According to Nancy Jo Sales’s precis of Tinder in Vanity Fair this month, the online app:

“prompts easy access to instant hook-ups and has created a generation of sex-obsessed commitment-phobes.”

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Tinder caters for 10 million DAILY active users. ? That’s crazy.

Imagine you’re new to dating. Downloading the app and uploading your personal information only takes a few minutes, and you don’t even need to look nice to ponder on potential dates. In fact, a photograph from last Friday’s outing (where of course you look 10/10) will best sum you up online. Dating isn’t so daunting now hey?

Welcome to a world of comparison. Tinder allows users to accept what they may see as attractive and reject what they feel isn’t. Brutal I know. Don’t get me wrong it’s fun to play the hot or not game but when you’re constantly showered with left swipes, it leaves you feeling worthless and quite frankly very unattractive. But remember – online profiles aren’t real. How can you possibly judge compatibility with a few photos and an optional bio.

Although I’m now in a relationship, I’ve decided to share my old Tinder page.

Just to help prove the illusion:

Pic 1. I’m not always this happy and I never look that good. The picture was taken before a night out and is heavily edited. 

Pic 2. Again heavily edited in black and white to hide blemishes. That pose isn’t my relaxed face – my eyes look brighter than usual and my lips look bigger, I had just done my makeup.

Pic 3. All about good angles and lighting here. Again it’s been edited and it looks as though i’ve tried my hardest to get my bod in. Thanks to the sunshine my skin and makeup looks pretty flawless. 

Pic 4. Heavily edited, say bye to blemishes and bad skin. Thanks to ‘VSCO’ editing app ?

I will be continuing to look at the ways in which social networking has cleverly weaved its way into everything. It’s nearly Christmas folks but again tradition seems to be clouded by expectations, competition and fake realities.  Before my next discussion, have a think about how many times leading up to the x-mas period, you’ve posted about the festivities.

Look out for part 2! 

See yaaaaa ??