Dating apps have changed dating culture in the space of a decade. But for many singles, this change is creating fatigue and frustration. Instead of dating apps, singles now prefer to find love at real-life events. Of course, it’s not a tea party, but that’s just to give you an image.
In the US, people now want to meet in real life, not through dating apps
In Los Angeles, USA, young professionals gather at creative and fun events to unwind from digital dating.
Dating apps have only been popular for a short time in the long history of romance, but many singles today are fed up with them. The fact that mobile dating apps have only been mainstream for a decade has frustrated many.
The fact that Bumble’s sales growth has dropped from 31% to 9% in the last three years clearly shows this frustration. Bumble’s latest ad campaign caused a huge backlash from female users and the company was forced to apologize. The new paid services offered by dating apps are also increasing user dissatisfaction.
Although many dating apps offer free membership options, these options are unlikely to lead to a real love connection.
With growing dissatisfaction with dating apps, singles are looking for alternatives and event planners are offering creative solutions. The Los Angeles Singles Only Social Club in the US was founded by Mackenzie Zoppi and Stephanie Scheele, who heard about their friends’ fatigue with dating apps.
The club helps singles meet each other by organizing events like mixers, speed dating events and happy hours. Within a year, the SOSO Club was a success with five serious relationships and countless first dates. It’s kind of like the tea party culture of the 90s.
Dating culture is reviving with social events
Megan Weks sees the increase in such face-to-face dating options as a signal of a return to the old ways of dating culture. Noting that online dating has reduced people’s ability to talk to each other in real life, Weks thinks that such events make it easier for people to meet each other.
A gamer traveled 17 hours to attack his opponent with a hammer over a dispute in the MMO game ArcheAge.
Disappointments with dating apps are causing singles to turn to real-life dating events. This new trend encourages people to have face-to-face interactions, reducing interest in dating apps. Time will tell if the era of dating apps has passed, but for now, singles continue to experiment with creative ways to find love in the real world. Dissatisfaction with dating apps is increasing singles’ desire to meet each other in the real world.
