Branching off from a recent discussion here.

Online dating is related needs its own topic.

It opens up the potential dating pool of millions of people, and I posit that it tends to have a reddening effect.

Consider some points that I've discussed before here.

Including and to add:

  1. Increasing the competitiveness of the dating market. Competition is conducive to rp-like thinking while hurting bp-like thinking.
  2. People are forced to be more superficial. Even for someone who genuinely wants to look past the superficial, she will feel forced to use filters to cut her options down from that overwhelming 10K+ results. I.e. "Everyone needs to be above… 5'9", maybe above 60K annual salary too... after all, it's important for 'him' to be able to support a middle class family at least. Those are reasonable filters."

I would use gender neutral pronouns, but dating sites make it more difficult for men to filter by weight, body type, and the metrics that they tend to care about (unless they pay), while still allowing women their filters. 3. Due to the matter of forced superficiality, a lot more people feel compelled to lie. Men about their height and income, and women about their weight, height, and age. They're being trained to put pragmatism above absolute discretion and honesty. 4. Online dating makes it easier for us to analyze the data, model the market, and systematize. E.g. The average person who isn't completely deluded by bpness can can see gender ratios of niche dating sites and draw his/her own conclusions about that niche. 5. As per the parent thread that inspired this post, "To play the numbers game in dating requires a certain... fortitude. To suffer 10 or 20 rejections should be viewed as nothing." Online dating takes plenty of rejections, even more so than IRL. 6. *Edit/Added: As per my example in the comments, it's a HUGE waste to invest too much of your time, energy, and emotions on any single person. Scripted interactions are much more efficient. 7. Online dating will grow as people become busier (less time to go out and 'meet cute' naturally -- or even deliberately). It's also becoming more socially accepted especially among the young.