6 Scary Things About Online Dating

Online dating seems exciting, at first glance. You make a clever profile, upload a flattering picture, and wait for the messages to roll in. You’ve decided to be completely open minded about your new dating life. If she lives far away, you’ll drive to her. If she wants to pursue the relationship online only for a while, so be it!

Regrettably, the world of online dating is much different for males than it is for females. Much like in the actual world of dating, men will always have to work harder at their attempts to bag a girlfriend. Still, you’re not having much luck meeting girls at your work or university, and you’ve long ago given up on the club scene. All your friends are telling you to give online dating a go, so why not?

# Profiles are carefully crafted

We all have a carefully crafted self that we reveal online. When making their online profile, your potential date has had plenty of time to make sure their “about me” section comes off as well-read as possible. They have an appropriate amount of time to respond to your messages in the most charming way they can. Your date online may have spent hours trying to create the perfect profile, so don’t be surprised if they aren’t as friendly or quick-witted in real life as they are via instant message.

# Wait, why don’t you look like your picture?

A friend of mine had an interesting experience going on dates with women from dating websites. Out of 6 women, absolutely none of them looked like their picture. In fact, all were much heavier than their picture and profile had suggested. My friend explained that he would have gone out with these girls regardless of how they looked, but felt irked that they felt the need to mislead him about their physical appearance.

Unfortunately, we live in an extremely shallow society, which would rather see a pretty face than make an actual connection with someone. Catfish, anyone? But facts are facts, and odds are if you are not attracted to someone, you’re not going to want to pursue a relationship with them. So if you’re expecting Josh Hutcherson or a Scarlett Johansson type, odds are you’re not going to find them on any dating website!

# Don’t expect to be respected

Respect doesn’t dwell much on the Internet, does it? Don’t expect any less from a dating website! Some people can pay to see if you’ve viewed their sent messages or not, and let me tell you, they don’t take kindly to being ignored. Suddenly a seemingly cute, charming guy, once rejected or ignored, will turn into a screaming, crying, frat-boy ready to call you a slut at the drop of a hat. That’s the real way to win a lady, guys!

# Guys: You’re going to get ripped off

If you’re a male, the world of online dating is much more soul-sucking than if you were a female. Odds are you will have to message hundreds of girls, before you get an answer. If you finally get someone to agree to give you the time of day, you’ll take her out for dinner, on you, and likely never hear from her again. She got a free dinner, you got some awkward conversation and a glimmer of hope.

# Ladies: You will get bored

While commercials for dating websites may highlight two attractive people who met online, found their soulmate, got married and lived happily ever after – odds are you’re not going to find your prince charming via social media. Yes, you may get a free dinner out of it, but your conversation will be awkward, and most likely, all you will get out of the date is the knowledge of what you *don’t* want in a relationship.

# Penis pics, anyone?

Not all men, obviously, but many of the men found on dating websites like to make a habit of sending rude messages about the less than eloquent ways they would screw you, or offer up pictures of their Johnson’s as if they were free coupons in a newspaper. Beware, perverts live on the Internet and seem to blossom on dating websites.