Dynamics of Dating in a Recession
How Online Dating is Heating Up
Times are tough in the working world, but that doesn’t mean your dating life has to suffer. Despite the difficult economic situation, there is evidence that more people are dating now than ever. Perhaps it is because there is more chance finding love than having success in the stock market? Whatever the reason, dating is on the rise … online at least.
According to the New York Times, websites such as eHarmony.com and OkCupid.com have increased activity of 50 percent. In some cases people are paying up to $60 in monthly membership fees in order to help find “the one.”
Dr. Pepper Schwartz is a professor of sociology at the University of Washington, and he says “at a time when money is scarce or uncertain, when people are assessing their priorities, they don’t want to go through it alone.” He adds that uncertainty with everything else in life leads people to try and find something stable. “When you’re not sure what’s coming at you, love seems all the more important.”
There are a few different reasons why online dating sites are being trafficked more frequently. Perhaps it is unemployed people who have more time on their hands, or it is because it is fairly inexpensive to meet people online. Although there is a membership fee, it is a lot cheaper than wining and dining a prospective spouse.
Online dating has been around for a while but it is quite interesting that it has peaked at this time. For those who are successful finding someone online to take out on a date, they get more than just the companionship. Neurologist Craig Kinsley, from the University of Richmond, says that “stomach-fluttering first dates also release brain chemicals that can temporarily erase worries, even about pensions, layoffs, falling portfolios and upside-down mortgages.”
Most people turn to the online dating world so they can avoid thinking about work. It is also a place where one is less likely to face total rejection; something they may be feeling if they keep getting turned down from job interviews or promotions.
Recessions are not the only time when online dating spikes though. Experts say, “activity also grew in the days after a tragedy like the Virginia Tech Shooting, while it stayed the same during “good” global events, like the Olympics.”
People tend to stay close to home during tough times, and being in front of the computer screen is much more comfortable and affordable compared to a bar or club.
So what do people do once they actually do find someone online? Tony Dudek, a single man from Denver, says “Dinner and a movie has turned into the early-bird special at Denny’s and a DVD from the library. Everyone is so emotionally and financially constrained that it’s made it a lot more difficult.”
An upside to dating during the recession is that people aren’t looking for status or money because they know it’s hard to come by. Annie Edgerton, a single woman from Manhattan says, “This whole thing has actually taken a lot of the pressure off to impress with money. Now you can get to know a person for who they are, rather than what they do, because they might not do it anymore.”
Dating in the recession is not stress-free, though. Experts say, “The stress that comes with fear, financial problems and economic uncertainty can drive a wedge between partners.” In the long run, online dating during a recession may be the best option – after all, there’s nothing to lose.
