Conference Paper HANSON PDF
Abstract:
The widespread use of dating apps today has undoubtedly led to a redefined view on relationships and intimacy within modern society. These changes have been highlighted by academic scholars who argue that the likelihood of ‘liquid love’ has increased. This has emerged as a result of rapid technological advancements, particularly within mobile applications. Dating apps, such as Tinder, have utilised these advancements to create easy, convenient, and gamified platforms for users to engage with. The interface of these applications has encouraged users to participate in self- branding techniques to achieve maximum desirability within the online dating world. This has, in turn, led to the formation of a self-performance and gratification based ‘hook-up’ culture. Furthermore, these factors have resulted in an increased number of superficial and fleeting relationships, straying further from traditional ideas about dating, such as marriage and long-term commitment, every day.
Discussion:
A ‘digital revolution’ is continuing to unfold in the world of modern dating and intimacy. With the rise of mobile applications such as Tinder, strangers are able to connect instantaneously with just the swipe of a finger. Dating application (henceforth ‘dating app’) algorithms have become the new matchmaker in modern society, connecting individuals with a seemingly endless supply of potential romantic and sexual partners. This ease and convenience, however, comes with many underlying drawbacks for users and raises the question, are modern daters falling into ‘liquid love’? With one’s carefully chosen ‘selfies’ and poses at the forefront of each profile, users are being unconsciously encouraged to form superficial and gratification-based relationships. These factors have undoubtedly contributed to the gamification of online dating as well as an entirely redefined view on intimacy.
With over 323 million dating app users worldwide, online dating is far from being a new concept (Curry, 2022). In fact, these applications are “commonly seen as a socially acceptable and advantageous means of meeting a long-term partner” to many individuals (Smith & Anderson, 2016). But, with the continuing and rapid technological advancements emerging every day, the likelihood of falling in ‘liquid love’ has increased. This term was first coined by Bauman (2003) and describes the increasing fragility of human bonds within an adiaphoric and individualistic society. This ideology is rooted with insecurity and the conflicting desire for one to tighten and loosen bonds simultaneously (Bauman, 2003). Bleeding from what Bauman (2003) dubs ‘liquid modernity’ within society, this new outlook on relationship formation has led many individuals to create fleeting connections with one another rather than meaningful relationships. The fabrication and use of dating apps has undoubtedly contributed to the increasing superficiality of these connections and turned dating into an almost gamified shopping experience. Similarly, Bauman (2003, p. 65) argues that dating apps have transformed the creation of relationships into a form of entertainment where users can date “secure in the knowledge they can always return to the marketplace for another bout of shopping”. The seemingly endless supply of potential partners available to users plays a significant role in the emergence of this entertainment-based mindset within modern daters. Subsequently, life-long monogamous relationships are slowly disappearing as a result of the forementioned superficiality and networking possibilities (Bauman, 2003).
As previously mentioned, dating apps such as Tinder have not only encouraged the superficiality of relationships, but also led to the gamification of online dating. Gamification refers to the use of game design elements in a non-game context (Seidel, 2015). Tinder’s interface and navigation controls – swiping right to ‘like’ someone and left to ‘pass’ on someone – resemble that of many traditional games. Despite not being designed with the sole purpose of being a game, Tinder has undeniably gamified their platform to create an entertaining experience for users. According to two of the platform’s founders, Sean Rad and Justin Mateen, Tinder was designed to challenge and supersede previously established online dating websites by offering users a smoother experience (Stampler, 2014). Specifically, the platform was designed with the intention of being a less emotionally taxing and time consuming ‘game’ for users to play, leading to a stress-free dating experience (Stampler, 2014). This design principle is reflected in the interface of the platform, where user profiles are presented similarly to a deck of playing cards; “love, sex, and intimacy [being] the stakes of the game” (Hobbs, Owen & Gerber, 2017, p. 272). This simple and entertainment forward interface allows users to almost detach themselves from the emotional side of a relationship and focus on finding a partner that will satisfy their desires and leave them with a short-term feeling of gratification. With this in mind, the rising superficiality and fleeting nature of relationships in today’s society is unquestionable.
Additionally, the gamification of dating and dating apps may also have deeper effects on how a user sees themselves. To elaborate, Lee (2019) suggests that the gamified, visually centered nature of Tinder, allows little room for users to establish their psychological ‘self’. To form one’s psychological self an individual must be able to distinguish their ‘self’ from others by “interrogating one’s psyche and reformulating relationships” (Lee, 2019, p. 2). Intimate relationships, then, can be understood as people engaging with each other’s psychological self, forming an entity. Illouz (2007, p. 78) argues that online dating, and now dating apps, have materialised the building of intimacy through their platforms, breaking down the ‘self’ into “discrete categories of tastes, opinion, personality, and temperament” based on answers provided to sign-up questions. Therefore, forming a relationship via a dating app introduces a superficial shift in which individuals are paired by basic categorical information. As well as this, this process may also lead to a skewed sense of self developed through self-branding techniques.
Many dating apps available today market their users to one another with carefully chosen images at the forefront of their profiles. Through the judgement of a singular ‘selfie’, one can swipe to ‘like’ or ‘pass’ on a person without looking further into their interests or other images. This has led to many users feeling the need to self-brand themselves to achieve maximum desirability. Hobbs, Owen & Gerber (2017, p. 280) acknowledge that many individuals have felt the need to engage in self-branding practices to “market themselves as desirable commodities in a crowded relationship marketplace” through a “process of self-stylisation for self-transformation”. Many interviewees of Liquid love? Dating apps, sex, relationships, and the digital transformation of intimacy (Hobbs, Owen & Gerber, 2017) discussed using self-branding techniques to make themselves seem more desirable to potential romantic and sexual partners. One female discussed how she selects the ‘best’ and most suitable photos for her profile; “you try and pick the best photos of you… we’ve all got this idea of ourselves, and it is marketing”. This outlook was present among many interviewees and highlights the way in which users are virtually marketing themselves to others in an endeavour to achieve maximum desirability and gratification, rather than a meaningful relationship. Similarly, another female claimed that she felt the need to participate in what many scholars now dub ‘edited authenticity’, an ideology referring to the way in which one may deliberately reveal and hide aspects of themselves within their self-branding (Marwick, 2013). These examples stress the almost universal nature of self-branding among dating app users in modern day society. As well as this, the original interface goal of Tinder is also emphasised, as users take part in numerous self-branding techniques to almost create characters in the game of contemporary dating.
Additionally, Goffman’s (1959) ideology of the ‘performed self’ also comes into play within the use of dating apps. Goffman (1959) argued that people within society are constantly displaying a series of masks and roles to others in an aim to present themselves in the best possible way. While Goffman’s work explores self-presentation within face-to-face interactions, the ideas are still very much present in modern day communication and interactions online. This becomes particularly interesting when dating app interactions move from the online space to the physical space and one’s digital self-presentation must reflect their physical self. And, as it is significantly easier to construct a persona online, the fleeting nature of modern dating is emphasised when making this shift.
Users taking part in these self-branding and edited authenticity techniques are faced with the outlook that perfection achieves desirability, and desirability achieves connection. As a result of this, it seems that the aim of modern relationships is no longer marriage, but to obtain gratification from another individual. According to Bauman (2003), this outlook, and subsequently ‘liquid love’, is so widespread in contemporary culture that it has normalised someone who is always loving and losing – ultimately emphasising the forementioned fragility of human bonds and intimacy today.
Not only has the way in which individuals form relationships changed, their view on intimacy has also been completely redefined. Traditional views regarding the sacredness of sex have been largely outweighed by the prevalent hypersexuality and eroticism of contemporary culture. For Bauman (2003), eroticism refers to adding excessive value to the sexual act, so that the act itself becomes something that we desire. The amplification of this desire has ultimately led to an entirely new ‘hook-up’ culture to form, facilitated by the ease and convenience of dating apps. Specifically, Tinder has been accused of kick-starting this ‘apocalypse’ of modern dating due to its ease of use and rapidness in supplying new partners for intimacy (Sales, 2015). The forementioned ‘shopping’ and ‘game-like’ interface of the app has contributed to the commodification of individuals, treating them as a means of achieving gratification and satisfying desire.
Furthermore, this change has undeniably redefined the way society views intimacy, as individuals are almost advertised new ‘products’ every time they log onto a dating app. With only a ‘like’ and a few messages, users can meet and satisfy sexual desires without having to build any deeper emotional connections first. Bauman (2003) argues that this commodified form of eroticism has come about as a result contemporary seduction. Nowadays, individuals are culturally learning to seek sensation rather than produce it (Best, 2019). And, as Bauman (2010, p. 22) states “getting sex is now like ordering a pizza… now you can just go online and order genitalia”. Bauman and Mazzeo (2012, p. 117) highlight this change once again, stating that the commodification leads to a “weakening and impairment of interhuman bonds” as well as “the pulverisation of love relationships”. As a result of this, modern daters are significantly more likely to view sex and intimacy as an easily achievable moment of validation and gratification, as well as a means of satisfying erotic desires.
Upon exploring these factors, it is evident that the use of dating apps has changed the nature of modern relationships. With the ease and convenience of applications, such as Tinder, contemporary culture has become accustomed to having a seemingly endless supply of potential romantic and sexual partners. This, in partnership with the gamification of said dating apps, has contributed to the increasing formation of superficial, gratification-based relationships. These factors have undoubtedly also had detrimental effects on one’s sense of self through the disseminating feeling that one must self-brand themselves to appear more desirable. In the hunt to achieve maximum desirability many individuals have been left with a completely redefined view on intimacy. Straying further away from traditional ideas, modern daters are increasingly viewing intimacy as a means of satisfying desire. And, with the number of dating apps available, this has become easier and more rapid, ultimately leading to the development of a new and pervasive ‘hook-up’ culture. Although Bauman’s (2003) theory of ‘liquid love’ can still be debated as the ‘digital revolution’ continues to unfold, it is undeniable that the increased use of dating apps has led to numerous changes in modern dating and a redefined outlook on intimacy.
References:
Bauman, Z. (2003). Liquid love: On the frailty of human bonds. Polity Press. https://www.wiley.com/en-sg/Liquid+Love:+On+the+Frailty+of+Human+Bonds-p- 9780745624891
Bauman, Z. (2010). 44 letters from the liquid modern world. Polity Press. https://www.wiley.com/en-au/44+Letters+From+the+Liquid+Modern+World-p- 9780745650562
Bauman, Z., & Mazzeo, R. (2012). On education: Conversations with Riccardo Mazzeo. Polity Press. https://www.wiley.com/en- au/On+Education:+Conversations+with+Riccardo+Mazzeo-p-9780745661551
Best, S. (2019). Liquid love: Zygmunt Bauman’s thesis on sex revisited. Sexualities, 22(7-8), 1094-1109. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363460718795082
Curry, D. (2022). Dating app revenue and usage statistics (2022). Business of Apps. https://www.businessofapps.com/data/dating-app-market/
Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. Doubleday. https://wps.pearsoncustom.com/wps/media/objects/6714/6875653/readings/MSL_Goffma n_Presentation.pdf
Hobbs, M., Owen, S., & Gerber, L. (2016). Liquid love? Dating apps, sex, relationships and the digital transformation of intimacy. Journal of Sociology, 53(2), 271-284. https://doi.org/10.1177/1440783316662718
Illouz, E. (2007). Cold intimacies: The making of emotional capitalism. Polity Press. https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=uf2s70bUC- 0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR6&dq=illouz+2007+publisher&ots=V9dJpLoITI&sig=ikKgNWaw4 GyQmE0IXLmCLWBG0DI#v=onepage&q=illouz%202007%20publisher&f=false
Lee, J. (2019). Mediated superficiality and misogyny through cool on tinder. Social Media & Society, 5(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305119872949
Marwick, A.E. (2013). Status update: Celebrity, publicity, and branding in the social media age. Yale University Press. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281668405_Status_Update_Celebrity_Publicity _and_Branding_in_the_Social_Media_Age
Sales, N.J. (2015). Tinder and the dawn of the “dating apocalypse”. Vanity Fair. www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/08/tinder-hook-up-culture-end-of-dating
Seidel, J. (2015). The game of tinder. Medium. https://medium.com/@jane_seidel/the-game-of- tinder-3c3ad575623f
Smith, A., & Anderson, M. (2016). 5 facts about online dating. Pew Research. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/02/29/5-facts- about-online-dating/
Stampler, L. (2014). Inside tinder: meet the guys who turned dating in an addiction. Time Magazine. http://time.com/4837/tinder-meet- the-guys-who-turned-dating-into-an- addiction/
Hi Dakota,
I enjoyed reading your paper and thought it was well written and arguments you were making were easy to follow. I agree with your point about the gamification of dating, but also think that this has become a hugely profitable business, so in that sense I think this is as much to do with the monetisation / commodification of dating. I wonder if the game part of it is because no one has the time or is willing to put aside the time to make a deeper connection, as everyone is too busy working or spending time on self-improvement.
I think dating, like working has been moved onto a few dominant platforms that seek to profit from the interaction between the parties looking to make a connection. I think Tinder is the Uber of dating and everything is being Uberised. I like the point you make about the social capital and how people are looking to portray their ‘best selves’ with the right picture, which is almost like a sales pitch. Also, agree that the type of interaction and intimacy that apps can facilitate is superficial as part of the digitalisation process means that everything is reduced to a binary ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response – thumbs up or down.
Hi Phillip,
Thanks so much for your comment, I’m glad you enjoyed the paper!
I definitely agree that the gamification of dating plays into the commodification of dating also. That is, by making these simple, gamified platforms, users are more likely to engage with them, thus buying into the commodification of dating (and people). And, in a busy world filled with self-improvement and self-care tips people are likely to lean towards this easier and quicker way of finding ‘love’.
Your comment on ‘uberised’ dating was also very interesting to me and I found it a compelling way to describe the way in which love, sex, and intimacy can be found as quickly as ordering a ride home! This, as well as the ‘performed self’ users create were probably my favourite topics to research within this paper, so it was quite nice to find that you also found it interesting.
Thanks again!
Hi Dakota,
Great Paper! It was well written. I agree with your argument that todays society is moving more towards a ‘liquid love’ by using social dating platforms. With the ease of being able to receive sexual desires at the click of a button it has made generations more prone to later marriages.
Although, there are quite a lot of people who use these dating sites as a tool to relieve themselves of sexual desires. These apps work in both ways, they have the capability to bring to people who would never have had the chance to meet. As the age of social media and social dating websites have grown the last 20 years so has the average age of marriage by 10% and the average divorce rate has only increased .6%. Who’s to say if these apps weren’t around we could have a higher divorce rate as the average age to get married in 2000 was 24 in Australia.
Hi Jordan,
Thanks for the comment!
You raise a very interesting point and some compelling statistics that I like to look more into if you still have the source available? It is always quite interesting to think about what dating, love, and intimacy would be like if these dating apps were never invented – Would divorce rates be higher? Would hook up culture be as prevalent as it is in contemporary society? Would the institution of marriage be stronger or weaker? So many thought-provoking questions to delve into!
Thanks again! 😁
Of course, it was on the Australian Bureau of Statistics under the divorces header. Dakota, I agree; it’s fascinating to consider what the world would be like if these apps had never been invented. Without apps like Tinder, I don’t think hook-ups would be as common in society.
Hi Dakota,
This was such an interesting paper to read! I also love the title you chose, really pulled me in and made me want to read more. This is such an interesting discussion, and I particularly liked the discussions of ‘gamification’ and the concept of self-presentation which you linked to Goffman’s dramaturgy, which I have learnt about before as I study Anthropology as my major! These concepts really drove home your argument and allowed the reader to consider Tinder in a different light. I really liked how you presented a nuanced discussion on how the platform is changing the way we engage with others romantically, in a way that doesn’t shame people who use the app solely to hook up. Excellent food for thought!
G x
Thanks so much for the comment Grace, I’m glad you enjoyed my paper!
I enjoyed your paper, Dakota. It gave me pause to consider the world of dating across the decades (does dating go back much further than early 20th century?) before the internet. I love the term, “gamification” of dating and the pizza analogy! I feel very ambivalent about your central argument. On the one hand, I raised two children now in their late 20s, during this seismic shift in social technologies. So I have watched a generation (or two, now) navigate and innovate this landscape as they explore identity and our needs for intimacy, excitement, connection, love. There are excesses which make me wince. On the other hand, I see how easily a younger generation might be tempted to idealise so wonderful past when relationships were so much stronger and long-lasting, so much more satisfying and meaningful. Unfortunately I am certain there are millions of women and men from the past hundreds if not thousands of years who would lay out their lonely, unhappy, painful, frightening, restricted, suffocating partnered and unpartnered lives. Putting aside the thousands of unhappy marriages and destructive divorces of my parents’ generation and my own (I’m a GenXer), it is hard to set aside the 99% of human history during which few women of any age in any place had the most basic freedoms. For most women in most times, the freedom to test out and reject partners was the last thing on their minds. Where abortion or divorce were literally illegal and life-risking. Where a woman was often “property” and financially completely dependent, for life. What if we could interview a million LGBTQIAs from the past few hundred years. What would they have to say about their opportunities to express or explore their identities? How many were forced to lead lives of fear, self-loathing and deceit? How many were put in prison or put to death for their terrible “crimes” of alternative sexual identities? So I am divided. If I gave you a time-machine, when, and where would you rather be trying to find meaningful relationships? The gamification of intimacy can certainly be cringeworthy. I still believe in the better angels of our nature. I think most people do, ultimately tire of pizza, in spite of its convenience and immediacy of satisfaction. After 30, sitting with a partner in front of a fireplace over a home-cooked meal and Yarra Valley wine, it is quite wonderful to laugh and reminisce about pizza runs and burning your tongue.
Thanks Brendan!
The gamification of dating apps has always been a super interesting topic to me (I love the pizza analogy too)! It’s really interesting to see different perspectives on the topic of dating and intimacy, especially from older generations – I am the youngest in my family by about 6 years and so I’ve got to experience my siblings go through a completely different dating experience to me, the good and the bad! So, thank you for your thoughts on these differences, they were quite insightful.
It’s really interesting that you bring up the topic of abortion rights and identity as these are still extremely relevant today. With members of the LGBTQ+ still facing discrimination daily and the recent potential for Roe vs. Wade to be overturned in the United States, it is very interesting to think about how Tinder has built relationships and a shift in hook up culture. I think if I had a time machine, I likely wouldn’t use it as I can still appreciate the affordances of online dating and freedom of sexuality my generation is lucky enough to have!
I really enjoyed that last sentence, it really encapsulates generational perspectives and gives a little hope to younger individuals that may be feeling a little lost. and. unhopeful. Thanks again, can’t wait to read your paper!
Dakota 😁
By the way, I would love to hear your thoughts on my paper: https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2022/ioa/300/me-2-0-the-ability-for-individuals-to-perform-multiple-selves-online-allows-greater-freedom-than-ever-to-explore-their-identity-at-a-cost/ I look forward to your comments.
Hi Dakota,
What a great paper! I agree that dating apps encourage less meaningful romantic relationships but I also believe it is more so the relationships created on dating apps rather than relationships all together. I have noticed that when you refer to dating apps you use the example of Tinder without saying you are talking about Tinder. Although this is probably one of the more popular apps, there are others that require more than just selfies for the profile to be complete. For example, Hinge requires you to have questions and answers on your profile before your profile becomes public. Your paper is very detailed but I would like to see the other side a little, such as what about many marriages between young people that have occurred recently. Also, the many meaningful relationships that have been formed due to dating apps. Maybe you could have had a rebuttal so it could still support your argument while also showing the other side of the argument. All together a great paper!
-Hoofi
Thanks Hoofi!
Definitely a good point that I will look into if I am to cover this topic in the future 🙂
Looking forward to reading your paper.
Dakota 😁
Hi Dakota,
I really enjoyed reading your paper considering we wrote ours on similar topics, it was really insightful to read a paper similar to mine but coming from the mind of someone else. I found your use of the source ‘Liquid love? Dating apps, sex, relationships and the digital transformation of intimacy’ (Hobbs, M., Owen, S., & Gerber, L) really insightful and I wish I’d come across this journal when writing my own as I feel this source really strengthened your paper.
I also love how you discussed online dating and apps like Tinder in regard to gamification. This was a really cool angle to take and I’m sure it has assisted your discussion in being easier to understand by those who may not be overly familiar with online dating apps.
It would be interesting to hear your views surrounding other online dating apps, considering Tinder is only one of so many, or even your views surrounding how specific social media platforms have influenced this shift in relationships and intimacy.
Great paper!
– Kyla
Thanks Kyla!
I felt the exact same reading your paper – love seeing a different perspective! Yes, that source was super helpful and raised so many interesting points that I didn’t even get to cover in this paper. Gamification of apps has always been something I have been interested in throughout my degree and I’ve found it super cool just how many people were intrigued by the term.
I definitely think if I was to cover this topic again in the future I would consider other dating apps and social media platforms as I feel like these strengthened your argument greatly and provided a variety of perspectives.
Thanks again!
Dakota 😁
Hey Dakota,
I wrote a similarly themed article so reading your perspective was actually really interesting. It is always good to see if you think the same as someone else. I found it interesting how many users used ‘self-branding’ techniques to make themselves more desirable. Honestly, it makes so much sense. We live in a society where people are forced to always look their best or maintain a certain appearance to avoid the embarrassment of being rejected by someone they find attractive. It is such a shame that the focus on dating apps is purely placed on appearance.
The gamification of Tinder has definitely also plagued the dating environment. I liked that you dived into that point. Did you discover anything that you were completely unaware of before you wrote your paper? I know I found so many new things out and it was actually quite alarming.
Well done,
Michael
Thanks for the comment Michael!
I definitely agree that ‘self-branding’ is super common in today’s society, especially with the rise of social media and an almost unwritten rule that you have to share your entire life online (although this is undoubtedly curated carefully).
As someone who has never actually dove into the world of dating apps, I discovered SO many new things writing this paper! The interface and profile requirements of Tinder were especially interesting to me as I find it so crazy that you can just swipe through people like a deck of cards judging nothing more than a few photos usually. As well as this, I read through a few different surveys discussing how people felt after using the app/what they used it for and it was quite sad to see the disconnect between interactions – i.e., one person could be looking for a relationship and the other a quick hook up. Although I am all for people embracing their sexuality, I can definitely see the hurt that may come from undiscussed outcomes of interactions on Tinder.
Thanks again, looking forward to reading your paper!
Dakota 😁
Hi Dakota,
This is definitely a very interesting topic, and not one I’ve really considered too much before reading your paper. The point discussing ‘gamification’ of dating is one that was particularly intriguing as I hadn’t really thought of dating apps and how they work in that way before. Like any social media site, I assume that they are trying to drive retention and engagement, so they clearly have incentive to create this ‘hook-up culture’ because if people are finding long term relationships on these sites than they no longer have any need for the product. I wonder to what extent they have impacted society by having the motives of creating this kind of culture.
Thanks for the interesting read!
Ben
Thanks for the comment Ben!
It’s interesting that you raise the point of encouraging hook-up culture so that the app is still needed – I had never thought of that. Would you agree that social media has contributed to a culture shift within society, particularly in how people present themselves and connect with one another? Maybe a driving force behind this is the engagement and retention you mentioned. Super interesting point, thank you!
Thanks again,
Dakota😁
Hi Dakota,
Really interesting topic and great read. I really enjoyed your link to Gamification and Goffman’s Performed Self, as I never though of this before. Marketing yourself as you would with a product to gain the most interest, just like advertisement companies do.
I really enjoyed your discussion on dating apps and in focus Tinder in how it is changing not only how people interact with one another but how it has shifted the focus of more conservative and traditionally society values of marriage towards a more hook up based culture.
Great read !
Cheers,
Lorena
Thanks for the comment Lorena, I’m glad you enjoyed the paper!
Hi Dakota,
Your paper is very well written on a burning topic in today’s social media addicted society. Apps like Tinder have definitely created gaps in the understanding of relationships and intimacy, as rightly argued by you. Your paper highlights a similar topic as talked by Kyla Geneff in her paper. I enjoyed reading both of y’alls papers, to be honest. Being someone, who has always been struggling of achieving a deeply connected and committed relationship in the generation of application dating, I could personally relate to the paper. We have to talk about this growing issue that’s basically eating the basic foundation of any society: relationships, commitment, and love; and thank you for doing that!
I wish you the best,
Riya
Also, if you’d be interested in reading my paper on the use of social media and influencer culture by fashion brands in promoting sustainability, you can find it here https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2022/ioa/557/analyzing-the-creative-use-of-social-media-and-influencer-culture-by-fashion-brands-such-as-green-fashion-brands-in-building-and-promoting-themselves-and-investigating-the-challeng/#comment-986
Thanks 🙂
Thanks Riya, I’m glad you enjoyed the paper!
I really loved Kyla’s paper also, she raised some interesting points that I didn’t even think of. I definitely agree that it’s something that needs to be discussed more among modern daters!
Looking forward to reading your paper!
Thanks,
Dakota😁
Hi Dakota,
Great paper and super relevant! Your title had me hooked from the start and was a smooth read. Your remarks on the gamification of dating apps were very interesting. Despite never having a Tinder profile myself, the apps format is so well know that to have it explained as you put it in your paper as a game, you cant un-see how it has potentially influenced how we in society see relationships, commitment and love. I’m curious to know your opinion on whether you think that society is embracing of this change to how we view relationships and courtship?
Cheers
Thanks Rebecca!
I’m glad you enjoyed the paper (and the title!). I’ve never had a Tinder profile either, and so once I started seeing it as a game and performance I really couldn’t un-see it either. In regard to your question, I think that these dating apps are so prevalent in society that we have no choice other than to accept it. Society is always going to have divided opinions but it is unquestionable that there is a portion of people who have embraced this new, almost open, way of dating and being intimate. I’ve especially found that people of my generation are significantly more accustomed to a hook-up culture – its almost more nerve wracking to go on a date with someone than it is to be intimate with them!
Thanks again for the comment,
Dakota 😁