Reality vs. Fiction

Hundreds of eligible bachelors right at your fingertips, all within 5 miles of your zip code. All are charming, handsome, rich, romantic, and single. Online dating seems to offer a lottery of potential mates and yet, why haven’t these seemingly perfect men already been snatched up?

You would think if these guys were so wonderful and seriously looking for Mrs. Right, they would have found her by now. But I wonder if the real alleged “Mr. Right” doesn’t live up to the hype? You never see a profile that says he is shallow, selfish and stupid – and yet, why do we meet so many of these guys in real life? If we were to take the online dating world as a snapshot of the City, we should be surrounded by gorgeous, sensitive, and rich men just waiting to take us out. It wouldn’t matter whether we were tall or short, fat or thin, ugly or hot – just as long as we “had a good heart.” But the real world doesn’t seem to mirror the online world.

Perhaps if there were truth in advertising laws on these online dating sites, this process would be a little more fair (or at least realistic). You wouldn’t have people who post pictures from 10 years ago when they were 20 pounds lighter and had more hair. Being shaped like a basketball couldn’t be classified as “an athletic build.” Tax returns and W-2’s/1099’s would be required as proof of income as opposed to just clicking a box labeled “$150K+”. Maybe even your last 3 ex’s should be surveyed and available as references. At least then, maybe you wouldn’t be expecting Prince Charming when a frog shows up at your door.

Admittedly, I’ve never dated online, so perhaps my vision of the online world is blurry. So if anyone would like to clear things up for me, feel free.