How Dating Apps & Online Dating Sites Are Making Modern Relationships Harder Than Ever
Here's how they're reshaping the dating scene.
weheartit Did our parents really have it easier in the relationships department when they were young? Back in the days of prolonged courtship, fewer relationship partners, and saying "I do" as the ideal end (not the last possible dreaded option)?
Flash forward to modern times, love at first sight is now love at first swipe thanks to to the advent of dating apps, like Tinder, and the infamous "hookup culture." Nearly one in four married people now meet on online dating sites (not to mention all the successful modern couples who live 'happily ever after' without involving actual matrimony).
People are seeking instant connection and gratification more than ever before. And while, thanks to modern technology, we can meet and connect with new people faster and more effectively, is it worth the cost?
Perhaps we have lost some romance in how we meet our soulmate, but are these well-crafted relationships actually happier in the end?
Which is it? Are modern relationships better or worse off than in decades gone by?
Host and YourTango Senior VP of Experts, Melanie Gorman, asked a panel of dating and relationship specialists whether they think today's couples have a tougher road to finding and making relationships last due to the rise of dating apps and online dating sites.
Life coach Kathryn Brown Ramsperger, talk radio life coach Joan Jerkovich, relationship coach Barbara Ann Williams, and counselor and therapist Dr. Pat Love brought their expertise to the table and hashed out the topic from many sides:
- Do couples today give up and quit too soon?
- How does "choice overwhelm" and FOMO (fear of missing out) impact commitment levels in modern relationships?
- Have changes in gender roles made relationships happier or hurt them?
- What role does technology play in modern relationships staying together (or ending)?
- Were previous generations truly happier, or were they just stuck with each other because of social norms?
The YourTango Experts agreed on one main point — relationships take commitment and work no matter what decade you live in.
Our parents and grandparents had their unique challenges, and we have our own.
Watch the YourTango Experts video above to hear their thoughts on how to reframe this "was the grass greener?" debate about love and dating in modern times in a way that sets you and your honey up for a lifetime of relationship happiness!
And if you need some help keeping your modern marriage or partnership strong, feel free to reach out to one of the Experts on the panel for some guidance.