15 Reasons Dating Was WAY Better Back Then
These days dating is as easy as anything. From social media to putting an ad in the paper, everybody is accessible through the joys of modern technology. Although this may seem positive, it can also have some major downsides, especially when compared to the past. Originally thought of as a relatively new concept, the act of romancing one another has actually been around for a while. In fact, during the 12th century, a book was released specifically dealing with romance outside of marriage. Named The Art of Courtly Love, the book instructed those who were married to look outside of their union for pure 'true love'. However, it was during the roaring twenties when things really began to kick off, with the term 'dating' actually coined at the beginning of the decade. Offering a more relaxed and easy way of courting, dating quickly became associated with bedroom fun without the prospect of marriage. Scandalous!
So, to celebrate the art of simple dating, here are 15 times dating was way better back in the past.
15 No Dating Apps
Back in the glorious days of mediocre technology, landline telephones, and good old fashioned love letters, social media was merely a sparkle in one's eye. With no easy access to dating sites, people were forced to undergo real life dates, without the option of getting to know one another beforehand. Yes, with websites such as Tinder, OkCupid and Match.com now able to help those who struggle with approaching those who catch their eye, first impressions are now a thing of the past. However, although it might sound beneficial, it still takes away the number of amazing things that come with meeting a person for the first time, especially if you include everybody's favorite cliché of love at first sight. Plus, with dating apps also able to completely shatter your confidence at the click of a button, the idea of being rejected over and over again daily, doesn't sound so appealing.
14 Fewer Options
Back in the day, most people had fewer options with regards to dating, with the majority of single folk limited to the area in which you lived. That's right, with online dating, not even a thing, and traveling only limited to vacations, the idea of meeting somebody from a different city, let alone a different country was something of a bewilderment. However, it wasn't all bad, with fewer options available it actually gave you the chance to get to know someone that little bit more, forcing you to try harder, rather than disposing of them with a blink of an eye. Plus, an insufficient amount of men and women, means less time searching for the one, with far too much time spent wasted on dating these days. In fact, with less choice, taking away the whole 'grass is always greener' mindset that most people have, it means you are likely to have a longer and much happier relationship.
13 No Mind Games
In a world where the dating world is led by playing games and messing with one's emotions, it seems there are many rules and regulations when it comes to acquiring your perfect match. From ignoring messages on purpose, faking love for somebody else, to pretending that you don't care when you actually care so much it hurts, mind games have become standard practice among the men and women of today's world. However, it hasn't always been that way, with men and women once able to discuss things openly and truthfully like the mature and normal adults that they once were, displaying an honest attitude with regards to their current feelings and relationships. That's right, with it perfectly acceptable to tell someone that you are not interested and it's absolutely fine to say 'I love you' first, there was no such thing as being too keen, or even too distant. Crazy.
12 Matchmaking
Although it might sound dreadful, terribly childish and exceptionally mortifying, matchmaking was all the rage back in the day. With no online dating apps to fill your boots with, and it's rare to find men and women picking up other singletons in bars, people had to rely on their pals do to the fishing for them. That's right, with it thought to be too complicated for one to find their own potential partner, matchmaking was the standard form of dating. However, not as awful as it sounds, matchmaking often had great results, with a number of people finding their husband or wives through the process. In fact, even appearing in the bible, matchmaking has seemingly been around forever, with the servant of Abraham seen selecting a bride for Abraham's son. Now, not as common as it was in the past, people are more inclined to choose for themselves, preferring their own opinion than the ones of others.
11 Tolerance Of Others
These days only the smallest of things can repulse someone, from their culinary skills to the color of one's socks. With both men and women guilty of judging other people too quickly, the result ends in a missed opportunity with a potential partner. That's right, with the perfect man or woman all entering our heads at one point, any detail no matter how minor can end a date instantly. However, before the concept of the tailor made significant other came to light, the majority of people were happy with what they were given, preferring to find the positives in others rather than judging the negatives. Optimism certainly overshadowed those who now have a pessimistic approach to dating, with folk quick to turn their backs on future relationships. Anyway, surely in 50 years all their perfections will become imperfections, with receding hair lines, wrinkles, and weight gaining all focal parts of growing older.
10 Anticipation
With it sometimes common for men and women to meet each other at parties or dances, the dances involved often required touching each other, only with hands of course. Creating a sense of anticipation and a flutter of butterflies, the longing to see one another again became unbearable. Forming a constant feeling of attraction, this kind of love is rarely replicated these days, with it easy to access someone through the means of technology. Plus, with chivalry a major part of dating, men often have to go through the classic motions of picking up the woman from her home, greeting them at the door, paying the bill, driving her home, and kissing her goodnight before leaving, followed by a phone call the next day and another planned date. Nowadays, the process has seemingly been left in the past, with both parties even sometimes refusing to label it a date, from 'just hanging out', to 'Netflix and chill'.
9 Improved Social Life
As mentioned above, dances and parties were a common occurrence for the young folk of the past, much different to the bars, pubs, and sticky floored clubs of today. With signature dance moves, coke floats, and fashionable clothing, parties of the past were most certainly the place to be, especially if you had a date or two. Taking up a large part of the teenage dating scene, dances were also supported by schools, therefore trusted by parents. Take the whole tradition of prom, for example, a night in which girls and boys tentatively dress in their most formal clothing, each requiring a date that will be forever remembered in their timeline of memories. Yes, for it may have been awkward and sometimes nerve-wracking, but that's not to say it wasn't special. Not taken as seriously as it once was, prom today is more remembered for breaking curfews, spiking the punch bowl, and losing your v-card, with the buzz that surrounds the whole facade sadly disappearing.
8 Mystery
Everybody loves a bit of mystery right? With a little of the unexpected adding that extra something to a potential dating partner, plus it can be nice to find things out about a person as the date continues. For example, back in the day, all you had was the name of your date, with the rest of the evening designed for questions and answers, and of course a little flirting. Nowadays, all the information you need is right there in front of you, with social media able to tell you everything, from what their favorite color is to what they had for breakfast yesterday morning. In fact, not only are you able to find out every single detail, but you can also find pictures of them dating back years. From previous relationships, previous hair styles, questionable clothing decisions, and drunken rants, the air of mystery has most definitely been destroyed.
7 Communication
Communication is key to a successful and happy relationship, or at least that's what they tell us anyway. Nevertheless, with communication at it's very worst, it seems the act of talking to one another was never really a problem at all back in the past, despite the lack of technology to do so. That's right, with couples these days unable to address their problems as soon as they arise, the issues, in particular, can be left to stew, creating more and more disappointment down the road. With the questions 'what's wrong?' often implying an answer, it is more than likely that it'll end up being ignored, with the common return of, 'nothing'. Grunt. Couples are far too eager to create arguments rather than solve them, with each person wanting to come out on top. Remember it's not a race to see who wins, it's a race to see who is willing to lose.
6 People Were More Spontaneous
Nowadays, with people more concerned with what's going on on social media, the idea of being spontaneous can often get lost within the realms of the modern world. Yes, humans are creatures of habit, preferring to stick with routine rather than steering off course. However, with routine, often comes boringly predictable, with dating usually only limited to a coffee, drink or dinner. However, it wasn't all that bad, with the dating scene much more florescent than it is now. That's right, take the fifties, for example, an era that saw the dating lifestyle really take hold, with ice cream parlors, pizza parlors, drive-ins, bowling alleys, coffee houses, and record shops and the backseat of one's car, all ideal places to take someone on a date. Plus, as mentioned above, with dances also a common pastime, it was perfectly normal to switch up your dates upon the dance floor, in hope of finding someone who fit the bill that bit better.
5 Catfishing Didn't Exist
Based on the documentary of the same name, the term 'catfish', is given to those who create fake profiles on social media, using someone else's details in order to find a romantic relationship. With the TV show revealing to the world that many of these people exist, it can be extremely worrying when using dating apps, with the thought constantly sticking in the back of your mind. However, back in the past, there was no 'catfishing', with people literally unable to hide who they were. Yes, everybody has secrets, with some people occasionally lying when asked certain questions. Yet, with dating usually face to face, you knew what you were going to get from day one. That's right, with the biggest obstacle in your relationship being that of no Wi-Fi, first dates sadly no longer exist, with dating apps and social media giving you everything you need, or at least what you think you need anyway.
4 More Effort Was Required
Nowadays, someone only needs to buy you a drink and they are yours, with the little things seemingly OK for a number of men and women across the globe. However, not that long ago, bigger things were required, as well as a huge amount of effort, especially if you wanted to get to first base, never mind second. Getting a date was hard, plus with it unheard of for women to do the asking, the majority of it was left up to the men. In fact, with the process deemed extremely difficult, women were given handbooks, explaining how to attract boys and obtain a date. Plus, with the men expected to pick up the bill, some girls were indeed difficult to please, with some boys spending a fortune just on the first date. And that's not all, with flowers, dessert, gas, and entertainment all contributing to a disappearing wallet, men were most definitely dealt the brunt with regards to the dating department, yet leaving the other person feeling wanted and extremely happy. Awww.
3 Breaking Up Was Easier
These days it is extremely difficult to end a relationship, especially with the dregs of your separation gloriously flashed all over social media. That's right, with what was once a personal and traumatic occasion in one's life, the act of ending a relationship is now a media affair, with everybody from your next door neighbor to the people you went to school with able to see the trials and tribulations of your life and current partners. However, back then, breaking up was ridiculously easy, with it impossible to stalk your ex's on social media. Not once did you end up crying over two gallons of ice cream on the realization that the person who you thought was the love of your life had found someone else. Yes, gone are the days of putting all of your memories into a shoe box, with it instead exceptionally easy to spend your Friday nights wallowing in self-despair. Ahh, the joys of the internet…
2 Blind Dates Were Blind Dates
These days blind dates are not, in fact, blind at all. With the people in question most likely to have stalked one another on social media, the events leading up to the date itself usually consists of finding out every single thing possible. That's right, with blind dates seemingly a thing of the past, the internet makes it near enough impossible to actually succeed in partaking in a real life blind date. However, not too long ago blind dates actually did exist and were a common occurrence for many. In fact, blind dates were so normal, that most people had had to endure at least five of them throughout their lives, with this the only real chance of meeting someone special. Yes, it may sound scary, but they sure were fun, with the excitement that this might just be the day that you meet the love of your life.
1 More Passionate
According to The Beatles, 'all you need is love', with that four letter word seemingly making the world go round. With romance clearly not dead back in the day, men and women were extremely passionate with one another, especially with regards to how they kissed. Plus, with intimacy not as common as it is nowadays, the road to getting between the sheets was extremely long. That's right, with physical relations something usually only done when married, you still had to go through months of hugging, kissing, and holding hands before getting to the dastardly deed itself. In fact, with months and months of tension between you, the resulting act was usually mind blowing, making it all that better in the long run. However, that's not to say that some didn't test drive the theory beforehand, with the backseat of a car a popular destination for those who were willing to take it that one step further.