Dating on internet

Recently, dating on the internet seems to be more and more popular. Odds are that if you ask a couple where they met each other, the answer will be "on the web". People prefer to stay inside at their computer and see who's available.

But who am I to judge? I was part of two dating sites. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just hinting at it. After my last break-up, I decided I would not go back to dating on web sites. It feels too wrong. I've got a feeling that people fall into relationships too quickly, without knowing the other person well enough to know that he/she is a person worth living with.

Dating web sites offer that easy path, and list people who openly declare that they are looking for a mate. Most of them are not looking for a friend first, but are looking for a relationship right away, bang into hardships and break-up, and look for someone else. Life is too short! I want to find my soul mate as soon as possible!

Age-Related Issues
But I guess there are differences in why someone goes to web dating. This is how I see how it goes. It's just a stereotypical opinion - please do not be offended by it.

Young people (like 25 years old or less) might go to these dating sites as an alternative to their other dating quests. Maybe they're curious too about all the possibilities brought to them by the internet. It's probably not something they need - they go to school or hop around jobs, and meet a lot of candidates.

Older people (40 years old or more), might go to these sites because they are recently divorced or widowed, and they might not have the time or courage to go through all that manual dating again. It's either that or staying the rest of their life alone.

On the other hands, older people like me (around 25-40 years old), are there because they are shy or can't be in a steady relationship. I'm in the first category.

I've seen a LOT of weird people there, and a lot of people, very normal people, who, together, bring out some odd statistics. For example, I couldn't help but notice that many (way too many) women are into horseback riding, or openly say on their profiles that they love horses. Why is the odds of a woman liking horses higher on the dating sites? Are horse-loving ladies having a difficult time finding a boyfriend in real life?

I've also seen a lot of people dating on the web who regularly go to the gym. My first hunch would be to assume that they have a hard time finding someone who accepts her repeated lack of presence. I go often to the gym myself, so I hope it's not that.

Basically, I feel that most people in my age category go to a dating site because they have a problem. We are there because we're starting to be desperate. Maybe it's because we are shy, or too picky, or because nobody wants us. Whatever the reason, I wish I wouldn't need that internet help to find someone...