# Online Dating Sucks **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 2, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350 "2011-10-02T16:00:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cabin_fever_1/32/2908_2.png) [@Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabin_Fever_1)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/1 "2011-10-02T16:00:46Z")
Online dating sucks. Geesh, I need to get a life. ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/2 "2011-10-02T16:23:27Z")
Cool story bro. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/3 "2011-10-02T16:47:06Z")
You just have to be persistent. I think many people just give up too easily and don’t give it enough of a chance. Sometimes it takes time to find the right person even with how easy online dating makes it to meet folks. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/4 "2011-10-02T16:52:07Z")
Dude… if _I_ could meet someone… anyone can. (Okay, the relationship didn’t last, and now I’m looking for work so I can’t look for a date, but still…) ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/5 "2011-10-02T16:55:53Z")
“Online dating” is a very good, effective way for singles to meet new platonic friends. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/6 "2011-10-02T16:56:14Z")
It’s worked for me. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/7 "2011-10-02T16:59:03Z")
In my experience, online dating sucks until it works. A lot of my friends have found SOs online, and basically they all have the same story…“I went on a lot of awkward, uncomfortable or weird dates until I met so-and-so, and we’ve been together since.” ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/8 "2011-10-02T17:13:00Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > In my experience, online dating sucks until it works. A lot of my friends have found SOs online, and basically they all have the same story…“I went on a lot of awkward, uncomfortable or weird dates until I met so-and-so, and we’ve been together since.” That’s kind of what it comes down to. Some people go on 4 first dates every week. Some people go on 4 first dates a year, but ‘it only takes one’ for it to be a success, you just have to keep at it. Cabin\_Fever, you might want to find the Online Dating thread. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/9 "2011-10-02T21:16:11Z")
Actually, I just had to go on one date once I broke up with my ex, and it took. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/10 "2011-10-02T21:38:55Z")
I’ve had pretty good luck with it and actually have had a lot of fun. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/11 "2011-10-02T21:42:31Z")
Back when I was dating, online dating never worked well for me. I got nothing out of it but a lot of first dates and a few second dates. All of my longer relationships came from other things, mostly meeting the women in person at various live events. And that includes the woman who is now my wife. ---
**Author:** ![Bloodless\_Turnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@Bloodless\_Turnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bloodless_Turnip)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/12 "2011-10-02T21:52:21Z")
Don’t all types of dating suck? ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/13 "2011-10-03T00:25:22Z")
> [@Bloodless\_Turnip](#): > > Don’t all types of dating suck? Yes! I never “needed” to date until my early thirties, and at that point, what _is_ the point? When I was a skinny little poindexter, ass came to me, then that whole woman-thing-wife-ish-thing for a lot of years. Seriously, why bother? Go pick up a ho if you wanna get freaky widdit. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/14 "2011-10-03T01:11:28Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > In my experience, **[online]** dating sucks until it works. A lot of my friends \*\*[have found SOs online, and basically they] \*\*all have the same story…“I went on a lot of awkward, uncomfortable or weird dates until I met so-and-so, and we’ve been together since.” Now, y’see, strike those words I marked in boldface between brackets, and you have described dating and mate-seeking in general. ---
**Author:** ![Caveat\_lector\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@Caveat\_lector\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caveat_lector_1)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/15 "2011-10-03T02:26:01Z")
Yeah, you just have the be persistent and a bit lucky (Which is liek all dating). I talked to a lot of women, but only met two of them. The first went okay, but we broke up. The second one and I are due to be married in June. Part of it is finding the right site. I was on eharmony and Catholicmatch. The latter worked a lot better than the former because it was tailored exactly to my needs and wants. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/16 "2011-10-03T02:34:50Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > In my experience, online dating sucks until it works.\ That was my experience, too. I enjoyed emailing and chatting, but the meet-and-greets were much more nerve-wracking, and there weren’t many second dates. I met I don’t know how many guys until I met my husband, then that was it - we started dating, and celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary this summer. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/17 "2011-10-03T02:50:07Z")
I fear bumping into/getting exposed to people I know… ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/18 "2011-10-03T03:03:27Z")
> [@brittekland](#): > > I fear bumping into/getting exposed to people I know… That happened to me once. I approached a good friend of my ex-wife. I had only met her a couple of times and didn’t recognize her. The ex razzed the shit out of me when she found out. She told me that we had her blessing but that we would be a disaster as a couple. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Oscie\_Lipshitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85e7bf/32.png) [@Big\_Oscie\_Lipshitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Oscie_Lipshitz)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/19 "2011-10-03T03:15:51Z")
When people use pseudonyms, I wonder how often they wind up with their ex? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350/20 "2011-10-03T03:31:27Z")
> [@brittekland](#): > > I fear bumping into/getting exposed to people I know… I’ve bumped into a few people I know that way. One of them is a good friend of my ex so I presume she (my ex) is aware that I’m doing it. We emailed a few times just to chit chat like we would IRL. She’s not someone I would consider dating anyways. It was just a friendly “Are you having any luck…me neither” type of conversation. The other person is actually someone I knew from _here_ of all places. But I was well aware it was her. Funny thing was, before I knew it was her I had almost emailed her anyways, but then when I actually put her OKC profile together with her SD user name I emailed her to say hi and we ended up talking for a while and going out to dinner (as friends). > [@Big\_Oscie\_Lipshitz](#): > > When people use pseudonyms, I wonder how often they wind up with their ex? Probably exceedingly rarely since you have pictures associated with your pseudonyms. I can’t imagine a situation where I would end up on a date with my ex-wife. But then I have a rule against talking to someone on an online dating site without a picture and I can’t imagine seeing pictures of someone and not recognizing them as someone I’ve dated in the past. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-dating-sucks/598350.md?page=2)