# Dating on the SDMB? Possible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 20, 2004, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170 "2004-05-20T13:22:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/41 "2004-05-22T06:28:45Z")
> [@Cajun Man](#): > > If I understand your question correctly, the answer would be no. The SDMB is not a dating service. With ALL due respect to a mod… 🙂 The Dope is NOT a dating service per se… but it MOST CERTAINLY performs that function, sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/42 "2004-05-22T14:29:10Z")
OMG, I leave this thread on the window sill to cool and I come back and you’re all up to your elbows in it. **Senggüm** calm down. Ok? No-one here is saying that people should go head-first into something as potentially dangerous as meeting over the internet. Then again I never said I wanted to meet anyone over the internet. I meant two people whose entire contact would come from being on the SDMB. It was a pretty stupid concept to begin with, that’s why it is in MPSIMS. But I felt for some strange reason it should be posted. As for psychiatrists, whoa there buddy! Put the strait-jacket down. Is this a possibility you take lightly? I did actually think you were joking at first but now I’m not so sure. Do you recommend psychological help to everyone who doesn’t do what you think is right? Anyways, I think we’ve all realised this puppy’s going nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/43 "2004-05-22T14:36:17Z")
Dear people, just relax. The guy is an idiot whose “guest” clock is ticking out. He just want’s to annoy you all with a few last moronic and inane postings. Place on “ignore list” and have a happy day. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/44 "2004-05-22T23:37:52Z")
> [@Senggüm](#): > > I hear U. I have asked how many attended and for photo links to these “Fest” … no answers. You did? I sure don’t see where. I scrolled through the thread a second time to make sure. Here’s a [page of links to Dopefest pix](http://fff.fathom.org/photorama/index.cgi?mode=album&album=./Parties%20and%20Gatherings). Keep in mind that the photos there represent only a small fraction of the Dopefests that have taken place. > [@](#): > > If you really would want to send one of your daughters to a SDMB fest or date someone on SDMB, without you being ther, so be it … I’d want the daughter in question to be over 18, but other than that, I don’t see the problem. Many of my friends here on the SDMB bring their children to Dopefests. Why? Because at this stage, it’s just like any other gathering of friends. So if your children want to come along, you bring them. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/45 "2004-05-23T00:22:51Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > The guy is an idiot whose “guest” clock is ticking out. Careful what you say. He _might_ just find that $5 on the sidewalk or something. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/46 "2004-05-23T01:01:47Z")
Ah, but the cost is up to [$14.95](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/subscriptions.php?) now. ---
**Author:** ![Tenar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/47 "2004-05-23T01:19:26Z")
I think good old’ Sneggum (sorry-- I don’t know how to get an umlaut out of my keyboard) may have failed to notice that the SDMB is not exactly a chatroom loaded with cruising chickenhawks with names like “14Hot4U”. It is a place where people engage in extended discussions of important issues and amusing (sometimes vulgar) conversations about just about anything, and serial jerks are roundly booed. This hardly makes us all saints, but you could do worse as a way of getting through the preliminaries of meeting someone. I think you can learn a lot about SDMBers just by following the tenor of their posts for awhile – as, in fact, the mostly patient replies of the members to Sneggum’s one-note, knee jerk posts make manifestly clear. I’m not quite sure what he/she suggests as a better alternative – arranged marriage among cousins, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/48 "2004-05-23T01:42:04Z")
If you’re talking about a bunch of thirteen year olds, yeah, I could see this guy’s point. But most of us are all adults, and when we DO meet one another, it’s usually in a large group. Now, my own personal rule is that I don’t do Internet dating. If only because most of those I meet live pretty far away, and I personally would rather wait for the romance thing until I actually meet someone face to face. But that’s just my own thing. I have no problem with those who feel otherwise. I’ve just found it saves me a lot of heartache and worry in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/49 "2004-05-23T02:08:50Z")
I don’t know what to say. But I did meet someone via the Internet, though not via this message board. I was skeptical at first about it being real, but now I believe it can work. Look at the couples here, who have met on this board alone. Besides, I cherish the friends I have made here and at other online haunts. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/50 "2004-05-26T17:34:12Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > Should we be careful about meeting people, naked, in dark alleys at 3 AM on the south side of Chicago? Sure. Well, fuck, there go my weekend plans. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/51 "2004-05-26T17:34:49Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > Me too. I suspect that **Senggüm** is suffering from a combination of “On the internet nobody knows you’re a dog” worry and “You never know who might be an axe murderer in hiding” suspicion. Should we be careful about meeting people, naked, in dark alleys at 3 AM on the south side of Chicago? Sure. Are we talking about being utterly reckless with our lives? No. > > Oh. When it’s your business who I meet based on talking to 'em here, you’ll be the first to know;) I am both a dog and an axe murderer in hiding. I just had to wait for Dave to get life insurance, get knocked up with his seed, and emigrate before I could act on it. Also, I’m pretty sure I didn’t actually meet anyone in a dark alley at 3 am on the south side of Chicago. I think our Hotel was Northwest. ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/52 "2004-05-26T17:45:57Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Well, fuck, there go my weekend plans. :mad: Well, just remember that the North side is my turf! Don’t make me get out my gang of dancing/singing street thugs to prove no point. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/53 "2004-05-26T18:08:13Z")
I dated a girl from the internet once…but that…was a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/54 "2004-05-26T18:10:40Z")
> [@harmless](#): > > Don’t make me get out my gang of dancing/singing street thugs to prove no point. 😛 Actually, **harmless** , I think I saw your gang being hauled in by the cast of [_Cop Rock_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0098772/plotsummary). “dancing/singing street thugs”? Awww, damnit! Now I have \*Jet Song \* from _West Side Story_ stuck in my head! :mad: 😛 ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/55 "2004-05-26T18:14:27Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > Actually, **harmless** , I think I saw your gang being hauled in by the cast of [_Cop Rock_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0098772/plotsummary). Yes, but that was before we ate their brains. 🙂 What? ---
**Author:** ![Sengkelat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Sengkelat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sengkelat)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170/56 "2004-05-26T18:39:48Z")
Dating via the internet certainly can work. No question about that. I’m not sure if it’s better or worse than meeting the “old fashioned way”. (By which I mean face-to-face. Another old-fashioned way is through prearranged marriages, which I’m not too keen on) On one hand, you have the advantage of getting to know the person’s mind before you meet. In theory, it should be much easier to screen out people who just aren’t your type. And if they exhibit signs of anger or misanthropy online, you’ve successfully avoided ever having come within arm’s reach of them. On the other hand, if you subscribe to the theory that it’s easier to create a false persona online rather than in person, then perhaps it’s easier to get attached to someone who isn’t who you think they are. Perhaps it all balances out. As for Senggum, I simply want to protest the abbreviation of his name as “Seng”. I find it confusing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dating-on-the-sdmb-possible/246170.md?page=2)