On the street or online: a free online dating service that blurs the lines between the two
Finding a mate is a natural instinct for most mammals, but what sets us apart from your average giraffe are the many ways we go about it. With our dating services, dating websites, blind dates, speed dates, dating shows, and dating advice columns (to name only a few... I'm still waiting on that late-night infomercial, promising a magic pill "guaranteed to attract your perfect mate!"), human beings have completely rendered a decidedly natural instinct into a technology- and media-fueled wild goose chase that respects neither geographical boundaries nor limitations on creativity in the way we present ourselves - especially when it comes to online dating services and dating websites.
"These days, a single man or woman can sign up for a dating service and gain access to a large pool of potential mates that they otherwise would have never met under normal circumstances," says Dr. Victor Salem, a New York City psychologist specializing in couples counseling. "Whether it's a free dating service or a dating website that requires a monthly subscription, there's usually no rules in how a person can choose to present themselves."
This presents an interesting ethical dilemma for customers of online dating services. Do you present yourself accurately, warts and all, or do you present some kind of idealized version of yourself?
"Every dating service that's available is a little different. Some dating services delve into extreme detail by deconstructing your personality and use computer models to match you with your supposed 'perfect mate,'" says Salem. "At the other end of the spectrum, there is a dating service called Singlesnet.com, which I think most approximates the natural conditions of meeting someone by chance on the street."
Singlesnet.com is a dating website that offers free dating services such as an online profile and the ability to post pictures and a few basic details about your location, age, relationship history, and what kind of relationship you're seeking. It's also one of the only online dating services that offer online chat rooms to online singles.
"Singlesnet.com is a dating service that has found a niche by greatly simplifying the concept of what a dating website should be and making it easy for singles to get themselves out there without a huge time commitment or sacrificing their privacy," adds Salem. "It's an online dating service that's centered simply on providing a wider range of possibilities, and it leaves the terms of the interaction largely up to its members. It's definitely the one dating service I recommend to folks I work with who lead busy lives, but who would love to meet that special someone."
