21st century dating is a trip!
I just came to the realization that I only started dating in the 21st century (I'm in my late 30s but didn't start interacting with guys like that until my late teens). Obviously things are different now than they were 20 years ago, but the online dating revolution began way back then.
I used dating sites on a computer in my younger days (before phones had that capability), and of course it was a bit different than it is today. However, I think that's where the whole concept of having a "menu", if you will, of potential dates to choose from began.
As long as it's agreed upon, people nowadays can choose each other for dates like we choose our groceries... And having this virtual catalog of potential matches to choose from is so vastly different from how previous generations operated.
My parents met at a party in the 70s. My dad's parents met at the hospital they both worked at in the 40s. My mom's parents were from the same small town in Vermont and met when my grandmother was 18, also in the 40s.
The way people meet is often different than it was way back when, and my theory is that because of this, it affects the way that people even approach dating in the first place. If the only options for dating are a handful of people in a small town, or one's co-workers, perhaps that's part of why dating seemed more "human" back then.
Now that "swiping" between potential dates is not only a part of the vernacular but also part of the culture, no wonder that dating can be so dehumanizing! Ghosting, the slow fade, etc are all things that are a part of 21st century dating in a way that they were NOT a part of 20th century dating.
I don't know what the solution is, but I think recognizing these generational differences in dating could be a start.
