You probably won’t be too surprised to learn that courting and dating has changed a bit over time. Old fashioned courting seems to have pretty much gone by the wayside these days, while online dating reigns supreme, and many people are embracing being single like never before. Curious what else makes modern relationships…..well….modern? Here’s a look at 6 fascinating facts.
- The phone call is pretty much a dying art. Recently headed out on your first date or exchanged numbers with a potential new (more than) friend? Waiting the traditional 3-days for a phone call – that’s out the door. In fact, you may never receive a phone call, but you’ll probably receive a text, Facebook message or maybe even an email. Seems sort of impersonal? It is. But it’s a change that’s here to stay.
- Planning ahead just isn’t a priority anymore. With the advent of digital media and texting, so came the ability for people to get in touch with one another at a moments notice. And, if you aren’t the main priority, planning ahead is definitely not going to be part of the dating process. The impersonal approach through social media messaging and texts gives you an easy out, too. If you just aren’t feeling it – no worries.
- Hanging out, chilling and talking are sometimes code for “hooking up” without a real commitment. And, lately the lines have become more and more blurry. With a serious fear of commitment spreading like wildfire, it’s tough to know if you’re in an exclusive relationship or not. Modern relationships mean sitting down and defining the parameters, otherwise all rules are off.
- Learning who a person truly is takes dating, real actual dating that includes spending lots of time together. Social media gives you a glimpse into someone’s personality, as does an online dating profile – but those are often carefully crafted, scaled down (or up!) versions of someone’s personality – not the real deal. Transitioning an online relationship to the real world can be tough – the filters are stripped down and getting real might be more harsh than one would expect.
- In general, we are more connected (digitally), but less connected (emotionally) than we have ever been. The outlandish number of distractions that cloud a relationship each day – from social media to the news media – makes connecting on a emotional level harder than it’s ever been. And that leaves many relationships struggling.
- Breaking up with someone is easier than ever. Sounds awful, right? It used to be that if you didn’t want to see someone anymore, you told them. Live and in person. Today’s digital technology gives people an out like never before with the ability to dump someone using a text, instant message – you name it – there is no more face-to-face requirement. And, that can feel pretty harsh.
Have you been getting out there, doing lots of dating recently? How’s it going? Do some of these fascinating facts about modern relationships ring true for you?
