People like to say that my generation, the millennials, are the reason that dating is dead. Our technology and need for instant satisfaction are to blame. I'm not going argue, because they are right. Dating as they knew it is dead. Dating isn't the same as it used to be. Just like fashion, trends, and technology, dating has changed.
Our parents and grandparents like to put unrealistic expectations in our heads of what dating is and what it should be like. These are unrealistic because like I said, times have changed. They think that chivalry is dead because they don't understand how dating works for us. We don't expect our date to come in and meet our parents every time we go out or greet us with flowers every time we go on a date.
The truth is dating has become more casual. We don't take it as seriously because we have grown up learning through media that dating multiple people at a young age is okay. We know were aren't going to marry the first person we date. Sure, it happens to some of us, but how are we going to know what we want if we don't see what's out there?
Our generation also has commitment issues. We hate putting labels on things; why ruin something by defining it? Instead of saying we are dating we use terms like "talking" or "hanging out." We like instant gratification so we use texting and social media to start the so-called "dating" process.
Sure, we are reliant on our technology and that just means we are more comfortable behind a screen. We use that to our advantage when getting to know someone. It doesn't mean we don't care about a face to face conversation, we are just trying to feel out what this person is like.
It's not that we don't care about dating or chivalry. Our opinions are just different from the previous generations. We don't need flowers and a knock on the door, we are okay with a "here" text. We don't need a letter or face to face conversation about how much you like us. A tweet or Instagram post/collage will suffice.
While that might sound stereotypical of our generation, it's true. Dating culture will not stop changing, someday we'll be confused about what the hell our kids are doing but that's okay. Dating isn't dead, it's just changing.
