In having the opportunity to collect and analyze a variety of survey responses and scholarly inputs, I was able to come to a multitude of fascinating conclusions. While some of my findings coincide well with information reported in other scholarly sources, other trends that emerged in my data are entirely opposite of what other scholarly sources divulged. Overall, I found there are striking differences in the receptivity of online dating between both men and women, those who utilize the Internet for multiple hours as compared to those who do not, and finally, individuals of differing ages. While I am slightly disappointed in the number of older individuals who responded in my survey, I do believe that the data from this study provides an intriguing look into the dynamics of online dating within modern day society.
It goes without question that digital media is modifying the world in which we live. It is altering not only the ways in which we obtain information, but also the ways in which people meet, engage in meaningful interaction, and establish intimate relationships. I sincerely believe that online dating is creating an entirely new environment with which those wishing to find companionship are conveniently able to do so. As Rhona Richardson connotes within her piece “Digital Dating and Virtual Relating, “Relationships that previously were established and sustained primarily through face-to-face interaction have come to be complemented by a social technology that is creating a new genre of interpersonal relationships.” (2000). Although many may feel a certain reluctance to join this new movement in social interaction, I believe that, with time, the Internet will serve as a favored method in establishing romantic relationships. In fact, Arnold Brown’s publication in The Futurist works to support this notion in communicating how perceptions of online dating have already transformed immensely within the last two decades. He states, “Dating sites, once considered a gimmicky way to meet and connect with new people, have grown immensely in popularity, thanks in part to the convergence of information technologies and digital entertainment” (Brown, 2011). Online forms of interaction have become increasingly well received within recent years, and will probably continue to gain popularity as time goes on. However, with such change comes the necessity to re-define characteristics of effective socialization. No longer will it be acceptable to simply present one’s self well in person, but rather, it will prove essential to effectively be able to present one’s self through social media. In this way, we understand how online dating does, in fact, change the world in which we live and interact. Overall, I believe such change will present a variety of complex alterations in the ways in which people communicate and present themselves to others.