When you were younger, your parents told you at some point to "never judge a book by its cover." Although most of the time they were not referring to books, they essentially meant that you shouldn't judge someone simply based on what they look or seem like on the outside. In life, you will always meet people that are different from you in one way or another, whether it be their physical appearances, interests, or aspirations. This doesn't mean you should refrain from getting to know them. Everyone you meet will be different than you; your mother, your best friend, or that kid down the street. However, it's how we embrace these differences that allow us to grow as an individual. Sadly, these differences have been used to mock, laugh at, and discriminate against those who are different from us. Why do people have to judge each other simply on the basis of these differences?
I'm sure many of you are familiar with Tinder. If you aren't, it is a social networking and dating app for iPhones, androids, and nearly all smartphones and tablets in between. The app is used by almost 50 million active users and allows you to meet up with 'potential love interests' simply by looking at someone's picture and deciding if you want to get to know them better by swiping right for 'yes' and left for 'no.' In the event both users swipe right, you form a connection and can begin talking to one another and getting to know each other better. This may seem like an ingenious concept, but it's rare that people actually use Tinder for the way it was intended (or at least as the description in the app store says). Nothing against the people who use it for it's positive qualities or its intended use, but most people who use it are looking for a hook up or for the entertainment factor.
What tinder advertises:
What tinder actually is (extremely clean version):
Why would the creators of Tinder think it would be a good idea to encourage the act of judging people simply by the way they look? Shouldn't there be more to meeting someone than just determining if they fit your definition of attractive? Maybe it's just me, but I can't see how this is a good judge of character. Some of you are probably thinking to yourself, "She doesn't understand, she has probably never used it." I downloaded the app last year when the craze began and after two days, I deleted it. Seeing the pictures that people put up just to get guys or girls to swipe right is just unappealing. It's unfair that guys judge girls based on the pictures they have, but what's even worse is that girls do the same thing. Young women should not be flaunting their boobs or butt in bikini pictures to get attention from a guy, and guys shouldn't have to post shirtless pictures of themselves flexing harder than they ever have just to get some recognition.
This is the problem with millennials. We are so dependent on technology to get exactly what we want. We are literally sifting through men and women with the swipe of our fingers. Yes, most of the people that use Tinder are college students, but why does college have to be all about sex? Shouldn't it be about broadening our horizons, learning, and meeting new people? We should be making connections in the world, but not through a hook up app. We need a change, and we need it soon.
