Online Dating vs. Courtship

Courtship and Online Dating

     There will always be well- defined cultural traditions, but with social networking it’s brought our modern day cultures to merge in ways that would not have happened. In online dating which has extended off of social networking, It has changed the way dating is viewed and has brought people together in ways that are just beginning to expand.

     Tradition affects how society has viewed the world. Dating has changed drastically over the years and has become so easily accessible to meet each other from our technology advancements. In return, some of the special courting and respect of asking for a hand in marriage from the parents has dissipated. Society has viewed this as such a simple way and with each busy life we struggle to find moments we can reach out and meet that special someone.

     In the essay by Ellen DeGeneres, "This is how we live", she goes on to state “Everyone likes to talk about how advancements in technology will change the way we live forever. I think modern technology is hurting us. I really do.” With the way technology has changed how people see things dating became way more accepted through quick, little interaction at first and sometimes goes as far as marriage without even getting to know one another. As she states “Modern life requires hardly any physical activity. We just push a button and stand there.”(638)

     Without the growth and elevation of computers and taking initiative towards online dating, old traditions may have remained. Computers have become an enormous part of our lives it has left dating opportunities to be endless. Has this made people become lazy about their ability to find love?

     Girls still dream of the prince and how they will be like Cinderella like in the essay written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. (405) “When Cinderella arrived, the prince was waiting for her at the stairway. He escorted her into the hall. If everyone had been astounded at her beauty yesterday, today they were even more astounded. “Nowhere in the old stories do they say “He called her on his cell phone or shot her a text to let her know how he feels about her.” As silly as this may sound technology has taken a turn in ways that some would think almost too simple.  

     It is a drastic change from how courting was done then to how it is done now and I think society has forgotten the things that can occur by courting a woman. It would gain respect from the father by asking for her hand in marriage or by meeting and enjoying the first moments meeting someone face to face. With the ability to just send a text or whip up a quick instant message, this has left society at a dis advantage to experience some of the old traditional ways of courting.

     The movie “Ever After”, again a Cinderella story in our times yet still focuses on how “old traditions” were so romantic and fun. It does seem the divorce rate has gone way up since technology took new spins on how dating can be done.

     With the changes that have occurred through online dating this has also brought on how break ups are done when the relationship doesn’t work out. Now just like online dating, break ups are done on face book, texting and other resources.  This was also very different before technology took a hard turn towards new ideas and advantages to simple dating. It has completely changed the way society has to actually work at a relationship and by being face to face allowing the other person to have a chance for explanation or closure.

      Traditions will always be around and they will be different from country to country but the changes that occur through dating will continue to change and have new advancements.  People will still fall in love as they always did, and talk to each other in one form or another. Technology will continue to advance and we will continue to learn new ways to find someone that we can connect with. Tradition will stay as a part of our lives and we will find ways to keep it alive passing down from generation to generation.