Dating in the 80's
I wasn’t born in the eighties, but I know enough about how technology works, has changed, and the shit stories I’ve heard about the eighties.
In this time, I’ve came to the thought of “Was it harder or easier to date in the 1980’s than say current day 2015?”
Humans obviously have remained the same physically, but the way we interact has definitely changed, and in-turn has changed humans to a degree.
Cell phones in the 80’s were almost nonexistent, the “Audiovox” car phones were about the closest thing to a cellphone, and these things could not store data. You would have to know the number via memory or have it written on paper. These still had cords, dial up cords, a modular connector if you will.
Now I know, I know, you’re thinking I’m bashing the 80’s but I’m not at this point, I think dating was more of an “experience” in the 80’s, it definitely was more challenging, this is of course for the socially “normal” kids, and I assume almost impossible for the kids/people who had social anxiety. Which brings me to my next point.
I think in 2015, the internet has helped the “socially anxious” human have a chance at getting a date that he/she wants via online communication, you can really learn a lot about someone even if it’s through a chatbox, in the late 90’s and early 2000’s you had AIM, which if you think about how many people asked each other out on AIM overall, probably a lot.
In the eighties, you would have to be almost 100% physically present when asking someone on a date (of course if you had a friend do it for you or something), which with some people is almost impossible. Then comes the next “issue” is waiting by the phone, phone’s were not at our pocket disposable in the 80’s, so the plans were less tentative. I’ve noticed in 2015 plans are ALWAYS tentative. This is partially because in 2015, humans have millions and millions of other humans at their fingertips, so they can make plans with 20+ people in a matter of 30 minutes, where in the 1980’s that would almost be impossible.
So there is a good and a bad side of current day dating. The good side is, the socially anxious kid can finally get the date, and of course meeting people you normally wouldn’t have the chance to get to meet EVER, you can meet and fall in love with somebody in a different state, without ever seeing them, but since you talk to them so much on the phone, text, skype, etc, it feels like you’re with them and the feelings are no different than if you were with them in person.
Of course if you don’t meet, the physical aspect is neglected, but that’s why airplanes exist. The next thing I’d have to say I think 2015 has made worse in the dating world is “cheating, infidelity” whatever you want to call it, personally I don’t care if I get cheated on, and I think monogamy is not natural, but for people who do, it gives both parties a bigger pool to select from, discreetly, quickly, and of course, with little to no money upfront invested.
I would assume cheating in the 80’s you’d have to be a little more crafty if you will. Now some of the upsides in my opinion of dating in the 80’s is, there was more of an “adventure” aspect of dating, harder to obtain one, maybe “more meaningful” seeming. The obvious negatives are you are essentially “trapped” within your state, or your location. You can’t meet people from all over the world (unless you’re a world traveler and had tons of money in the 80s), and even at that, you couldn’t do it from the comfort of your living room.
All in all, I think personally I would prefer dating in 2015, that’s just because I’m socially anxious. If I were maybe a little bit less anxious, I would prefer the “challenge” of the 80’s.
