Initially, our group hypothesized that technology serves a negative influence on ourselves and our society in terms of the way it has impacted the dating world. In fact, when we first started researching, we found a variety of articles highlighting some major issues with online dating. For instance, individuals who started using online platforms began feeling less committed to their partners; they felt that there was always going to be “more fish in the sea.” After all, technology has given us access to more people - billions of people - from all around the world. It’s easy to be unhappy in a relationship, but feel as though you’re going to be okay because it’s become easier to find someone else, especially with the addition of online tools. We also felt that maybe online dating platforms were beginning to make us more shallow individuals. We felt this way because most applications are built on how a person chooses to present themselves, especially through photographs. Also, when scrolling through profiles, a majority of users base their interests on these physical attributes only, rather than taking time to understand who the person truly is. These ideas functioned as our original thesis for a while. 

 

Over time and after conducting more research, we’ve found that we were incorrect. Through the use of online dating platforms, the modern-day dating world has earned itself a plethora of new tools, or methods, to offer its participants. However, technology has been used to further encourage the preexisting current societal beliefs and trends in dating. Prior to and after its implementation, technology has followed these societal patterns closely; individuals still want to present themselves in the best way possible, initiate interactions with others based on how physically attractive they are, and seek relationships that satisfy their personal desires. While these trends can appear increasingly problematic and hint towards a deteriorating, shallow culture, technology is not at the hands to blame - society is. 

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Unfortunately, at the hands of its users, technology has been used to further encourage potentially detrimental cultural dating trends. It’s almost instinctual to blame these abstract, societal issues on something concrete like technology. However, as Beard puts it, technology is merely a physical entity. How it’s put to use, or even abused, is dependent on the user, the human. Therefore, we’ve concluded our research has proven technology is not the culprit behind the downsides of dating in the modern world. In fact, most of the negative impacts of modern-day dating can be interpreted as larger, more complex societal issues that must be further analyzed. Some potential complexities include: discovering why people catfish, lie about themselves online, exaggerate features to seem more likable, or seek validation from strangers, or understanding the emotional dangers from hookup culture and the shallowness of dating solely based on physical attributes. All in all, the purpose of technology, as it fits in the dating realm, can only change for the better if the hands yielding it choose to stop, self-reflect, and change, too. 

 

 

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