In fact they’re working against you, especially women of colour. 84% of Tinder users are men, Bumble’s earnings have gone down hugely since its IPO (thereby further increasing their need to make a profit off subscriptions), Hinge is hiding hot people behind a paywall. People are sick of getting lovebombed and ghosted.
But we don’t need them—there’s more to life than apps—and people are beginning to seek connections in person again.
Related Recs
😃
Like someone else said, one of the best, most freeing things is to leave the dating apps behind especially if you struggle with self esteem. I know people who have found amazing relationships from dating apps, but as a whole I believe they have done a great job at commoditizing romance and making interactions transactional; they want you to pay more money to keep swiping until your thumbs hurt. Combine that with the fact that all the major dating apps are owned by either Match Group or Bumble, data privacy concerns, and you now have an industry that treats dating like a mobile gacha game. Dating felt fun and natural for me the minute I left the apps behind. This is just my 2 cents, so take it with a grain of salt. Maybe they work for you, if so, more power to you!
Jan 21, 2025
🤷
I linked a rec I made over a year ago about deleting hinge and dating the old fashioned way. have I been on a single date since then? nope. do I stand by what I said? absolutely.
I’m still convinced that the apps aren’t perfect, and while they might work for some people they’re kind of a necessary evil at best. without them, it’s hard to put yourself in contexts where meeting someone organically is possible. and even then, within those contexts the meeting has to be just that: organic. it takes time. it takes being in places/situations regularly where you think you’ll meet people who share your interests/values. it also takes a bit of effort to initiate those interactions, and also fate that someone might initiate something with you.
the apps are a convenient, quick fix, instant gratification solution to the issue in that they will get you dates, but in exchange for quantity you may sacrifice on quality. things of quality have no fear of time, though. waiting to encounter someone who is a good fit and in a good phase of life to be what you need and vice versa is going to take time. and if you work a 9-5 like I do, you’re going to have to invest in putting yourself in situations to meet people in your free time. or just do what I do and develop crushes on your superiors in the workplace that are doomed to never be realized because of HR protocol. i’d advise against the latter, though.
Mar 11, 2025
Wouldn’t say I’m desperate, but I’m actively interested in a relationship, trying to move on from a past too complicated and dark to describe on here, but I feel that having that bond with someone and making endlessly fun memories would be a huge benefit, as well as sharing a part of yourself with someone who’s really special and deserving of it.
I know I’m not that bad-looking of a guy, but I haven’t really had much luck on the apps, tried to curtail my profile to be more appearing, whole nine yards. It’s getting to be a bummer.
Should I ditch the app and just let fate take its course?
Feb 16, 2025
Top Recs from @fanbeth
Dec 26, 2024
Thanks to the Moomin Official YouTube channel I can heal my inner child 💓
Also love Heidi: Girl of the Alps (1974)
Jan 10, 2025
Nov 17, 2024