The feeling that a person is just using you is awful. And sometimes it takes a while to figure it out. But when Reddit user LordofPorkchop was still dating, he ran into a woman that made it obvious straight from the get-go.
In a post on r/PettyRevenge, he recalled a particularly memorable blind date with one of his online matches. She brought two friends to a restaurant and they shamelessly went ham on the menu, piling up the bill. So the man gave them a taste of their own medicine.
This man thought he really hit it off with his online match
Image credits: fauxels (not the actual photo)
But she invited two friends to their dinner date
Image credits: Tom D'Arby (not the actual photo)
It was clear to the man that the gang were interested only in his wallet, so he pulled the Uno reverse card on them
Image credits: Inga Seliverstova (not the actual photo)
Image credits: LordofPorkchop
Although not as dramatic, stories like this are not uncommon, as online dating has become the primary way heterosexual couples meet
According to a recent Pew Research survey, three-in-ten U.S. adults have used a dating site or app at some point in time, and men are more likely than women to have tried online dating (34% vs. 27%).
44% of online dating users said a major reason was to meet a long-term partner and 40% were searching for something casual. Smaller shares said they were looking for sex (24%) or new friends (22%).
And while the majority said it was at least somewhat easy for them to find others whom they viewed as physically attractive, shared common interests with, or who seemed like someone they would want to meet in person, roughly seven in ten believe it is very common for others on these platforms to lie to try to appear more desirable. And by a wide margin, Americans who have used a dating site or app said the experience left them feeling more frustrated (45%) than hopeful (28%).
That being said, many online daters are often having a bad time
Image credits: Nik (not the actual photo)
Journalist and writer Gili Malinsky is one of them. Even though she's still single, last year, she deleted the last dating app she had on her phone.
"What at first seemed like a fun, low-stakes way to engage with the wild world of dating, turned into a frustrating and soul-sucking chore," Malinsky explained.
"I didn’t really dive in until 2017 when I decided to give Tinder a month-long trial. I packed in two to three dates a week over the course of a month. At the time, the whole thing was pretty novel and exciting. Who were these strangers making passes on my phone?"
"I decided to keep going," she said. "Over the last five years, I’ve been on at least 50 dates with 50 different guys. I think I clicked with maybe five of them and ended up dating two for several months."
Image credits: René Ranisch (not the actual photo)
Even though online dating has become the most popular way for heterosexual couples in the U.S. to meet, it often feels like playing a slot machine.
At 36, Malinsky is trying to be more intentional about how she spends her time. There's evidence this kind of attitude improves well-being. "The more intentional I get, the less patience I have for the optional activities that make me pretty miserable, including online dating," she said. "They're just not worth it."
After his story went viral, the original poster (OP) shared more details from that evening
And people had plenty of reactions to it
Navigating modern relationships can be tricky, especially when issues of trust and boundaries arise. For those interested in understanding how close connections between partners and friends of the opposite sex can impact romantic dynamics, exploring discussions around maintaining healthy friendships might provide valuable insights.
You can check out this guide on managing friendships with the opposite sex for a deeper perspective.