Popular Culture Review 30.2
meaningful connection among two people . Communication via a digital screen appears to easily and unwittingly transform the otherwise thoughtful actions of an individual into uncaring and disrespectful acts , simply due to how easy it can be to forget there is a real person on the other side of that digital device . While Tinder may eliminate the fear of rejection , it can also encourage an overinflated sense of self . The abundance in contemporary dating options can lead anyone to fall prey to the vicious cycle of FOMO , or fear of missing out , which can leave us with the idea of yearning for someone or something better , with a good chance that it never materializes .
My intent is not to vilify Tinder , dating apps or online dating ; rather , it is to provide another angle in which those who choose to use such apps can adapt to the technology smartly and responsibly , instead of surrendering to it . In order to accomplish this educational goal , I decided to spend some time directly experimenting with Tinder . I set out to see what happens when we carry around a multitude of dating options right in our pockets . What kind of psychological , emotional , or even physical effects does app-based dating elicit ? How does it destroy or enhance our ability to communicate ? Does the technology itself influence who may or may not become our potential partners ? If so , how ?
My attempts in answering the above questions came from not only my direct user experimentation on Tinder itself , but also in asking willing ( sometimes anonymous ) participants , both in-person and online , to share their personal stories and experiences with dating in the digital age . Consequently , the focus on this article is not in providing a systematic conclusion to the underlying science of dating , as such a feat would prove difficult to accomplish . Nor does this article seek to
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