Dating has become more of a hassle than it's worth. Everywhere you turn, you hear about how someone keeps looking and can't find their Mr. or Mrs. Right. You would think with all of the different options out there that it would be easier, and not harder, to get a date in today's world. But maybe the real issue is not that it is too hard to get a date, but maybe finding the right kind of person. Today, you don't even have to leave your home to snag your next mate.

With the Internet and its millions of sites, all you have to do is take a seat and use your mouse to find someone. Of course, with the convenience comes a price. Anyone can pretend to be anyone or anything on the Internet. The guy with the picture of him posing for a body building competition, that you swear to yourself that you have just hit the jackpot with, turns out to either be very unattractive or maybe even a criminal. Not everyone is like this, but it seems to be more and more common. And what about the minors who pose as being much older than they really are?

There are several success stories out there of people meeting online through dating sites and even MySpace and ending up getting married. I'm sure that this is the thing that gives people hope that maybe they too can find love on the Net, but the odds probably aren't with them. It's much easier when you've seen the person face-to-face and know what that person looks and sounds like. Maybe some of the excitement that comes from dating on the Internet is the surprise factor. You never know what you'll get. Maybe this time the person sitting on the other end of the computer will be the person of your dreams or you'll get hooked up with someone who is rich. Surprises are a wonderful thing when they are good.

There are so many sites accessible by searching for your next fling or relationship. Some Internet sites even target specific races or persons who have a particular interest. There are online dating agencies by the thousands for friendship, romance, and even international brides. So why can't single people find someone, if there are so many resources available to them? It's no longer an old-fashioned dating scene, where you actually had to go up to someone and start a conversation. Nope, you can remain as anonymous as you want behind your computer screen. I think it is because it has become almost as a game. With so many people pretending to be someone else, rather than showing their true self, they will never allow themselves to find the right person. Also, with access to so many people, there are some that have in their mind that something better will come along any day now. These people can act as picky as they want, and know that they have the possibility of meeting millions of people throughout the world through the Internet.

Maybe in the long run it's just easier to talk to someone on the bus or in a crowded mall. There's no screen to hide behind, and you know what you're getting beforehand.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Dating