A coworker recently said, with some reservation, that he is doing online dating. Five or so years ago when I asked my best friend how he met his girlfriend at the time, he was hesitant to admit it was via online dating.
Some odd years ago people thought it was odd if you met your significant other at a bar or a club, but why not? It’s no different than meeting them at church or the gym. That is, you’re both [likely] participating in an activity you enjoy. If anything, I find it odd if you met your sigificant other just walking down the street or standing in line at the coffee shop.
Internet dating opens up the dating pool to someone who could be perfect for you and lives two minutes away (and you never bump into each other or do but don’t talk) or on the other side of town or, for the really adventurous, another city or state. Online dating increases the chances you’ll meet someone with the same interests and views as you but your lives just wouldn’t ‘naturally’ intersect.
Granted, this means your match would have to be on the same dating site as you, which is no different than going to the same church, the same bars/clubs (on the same night), the same gym (at the same time), etc.
I understand the stigma around online dating, but I don’t see why my best friend was nervous to tell me that. Not only do I see nothing wrong with online dating, I think it’s the greatest thing to happen to dating since… ever. If I weren’t married I guarantee you I would try online dating.
I would even try speed dating at least once, but I don’t think it lends itself well to my high-functioning aspergers[1]. It’s the multiple 3-5 minute conversations with someone new.
Take away: it doesn’t matter how or where you meet your better half, just that you meet your better half.
[1] As diagnosed by my wife (she has a BSN).