No one can argue that today’s online dating landscape is more complex and nuanced than it has ever been.
From the new uses for technology to new and creative ways of rejecting someone, online dating is a constantly evolving activity.
Internet dating app Plenty of Fish recently conducted a study. They examined the online dating trends that are emerging now and will probably become popular on dating sites this year.
On the list are several unpleasant things that we would all hope to avoid in our dating lives.
But surprisingly, there are also a couple of trends that can give Catholic singles some good food for thought.
Yellow carding has a positive side
A lot of these so-called online dating trends discussed online are nothing fun or beneficial. They typically aren’t the type of thing that can give hope to singles who are creating profiles on dating apps and looking through potential matches.
But yellow carding is a bit different from trends like ghosting, zombie-ing, dog-fishing, Gatsby-ing, and the like. This online dating trend doesn’t involve dishonesty or treating someone poorly.
Instead, yellow carding encourages users to call out a date for their poor behavior.
We think trends that encourage honesty and intentionality among online daters are trends to take part in! We think this trend could improve the online dating experience.
For anyone who’s ever been on the receiving end of one of the many negative, dishonest, or hurtful online dating trends, this trend can inspire a bit of hope.
It would certainly be great if this trend became popular across online dating sites and inconsiderate users were called out on a regular basis.
Type-casting can be good or bad
This online dating trend is when a person decides to date only men or women who are compatible with their Myers-Briggs type or love language.
This trend has the potential for positive change on online dating websites. After all, taking things like love language or personality type into consideration can definitely help you identify people that you have a strong possibility of connecting with.
When it comes to trying to figure out potential partners, trying a bit of type-casting might help you predict (to a degree) who could be lead to healthy romantic relationships.
But on the other hand, this trend can be a bit dangerous or unhelpful to your dating experience if you practice it too rigidly.
Men and women are more than their personality type or preferred way of showing and receiving love. Sometimes, opposites do attract.
It’s not necessarily a good idea to turn down a date with someone who isn’t a compatible match with you on paper. You may feel chemistry with them in person!
Kanye-ing has nothing to do with conversion
For those of us who are up to date with the hopeful news of Kanye West speaking out as a converted Christian, we might at first hope this trend is something positive.
But instead, this trend with the poorly-timed name is actually when your date won’t stop talking about themselves. This dating trend refers to pre-conversion Kanye, the guy who once stole the mic from Taylor Swift on stage.
It’s not shocking that this trend is becoming popular.You might be one of many singles who have experienced a date who hogs the conversation in an unpleasant way.
It can hurt a lot if you’re glamboozled
This painful online dating trend fits well with many of the impolite dating trends we all know of so well, like ghosting.
Glamboozling is a particular kind of standing-up. Let’s imagine you meet someone through an online dating site. You’re excited about meeting them in person. But then, they cancel on you, at the very last minute.
If you’ve already gotten ready for your date only for them to cancel, you’ve been glamboozled.
This isn’t anything new in the online dating world. But because it is a trend that continues to be prevalent, now it has a clever name.
White clawing is not a good idea
This online dating trend involves someone who continues to date a person for purely physical reasons. They don’t like the person’s personality or their mind, they just keep things going because the person is attractive.
As Catholics, and really for anyone who is interested in long-term relationships that last and lead to marriage, white clawing is just plain dumb that we’re not excited to see cropping up on dating sites this year.
Don’t get us wrong, physical attraction between men and women is important. But it can’t make up for lack of chemistry in every other aspect of a relationship.
Cause-playing is a new breed of tacky
This trend is when a relationship ends, but one party later contacts the other to ask a favor.
It’s often a favor like, “Hey, would you support this cause of mine?”
Most of us have an online social media presence and social network. We might make requests for others to support or share things for a cause and don’t think twice about who we’re asking.
But when it comes to an ex or someone who you met online but things didn’t work out, think twice about asking.
If you don’t have any kind of continued friendship with them, asking for a favor can seem rude.
Dial-toning: ghosting’s awkward cousin
Dial-toning is ghosting someone before a relationship even has the possibility of beginning.
If a person gives their number to someone else but then never answers or responds when the person tries to call or text them, this is dial-toning.
In our conflict-averse society, it’s not surprising at all to see this trend across mobile dating apps and dating websites.
Why be upfront and let the person know that you’re not interested in them, when you could just rudely ignore their attempts to contact you?
For Catholic singles who are trying to live a life of holiness and charity towards others, it might be best to avoid this trend and refrain from giving someone false hope in the first place.
Eclipsing can either be insincere or loving
Eclipsing is an online dating trend in which a person adopts the interests of the person they’re dating as their own.
Now, if you do this with a fake and dishonest enthusiasm in order to get the person to like you, it’s harmful and won’t lead to a good or healthy relationship.
But on the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with trying on the hobbies or interests of the person you’re dating in order to forge a stronger connection with that person.
If you lie and pretend you’re an expert, you’re not setting yourself up for anything good.
But as long as you’re honest about your experience level, eclipsing is actually something that could lead you to form a solid relationship with someone, a relationship that’s built on sacrifice and genuine interest in one another’s lives.
