A lot has changed during the past years with regards to romantic relationships. Now there is a greater reluctance from newer generations to settle down in marriage, while social media and dating apps have revolutionised courting and meeting future partners. In this article, we will talk about how the development of social media and online dating has shaped the relationships of new generations and we will shed some light on common myths. Are, after all, younger individuals more prone to casual affairs or not?
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Social Media and Dating Apps.
Millennials is the first generation that relies that much on the technology for its communication. Individuals from 25 to 36 years old are messaging each other via whatsapp, keep up with each other’s news through instagram and facebook and share fun selfies with one another via snapchat. Thus, it comes as no surprise that this generation would embrace, also, dating apps.
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From an audience that is swiping left and right to find potential partners nearby, you can expect to prefer casual affairs. Indeed Millennials’ approach to sexual intimacy has made phrases like “hooking up” or “friends with benefits” part of our romantic interactions. And although they proceed fast with their online connections, they are taking things slow when it comes to a more serious commitment.
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Millennials and Casual Affairs.
Social Media have made it easy for people to connect, interact and meet up. But what about their effects on love? Surely, their existence facilitates a quicker casual relationship. However, when it comes to love it appears that Millennials are moving with more caution.
With the majority of them carrying student loans when they enter the labor market, it seems impossible for them to proceed with marriage without having secured a stable financial situation. Adding to this that women are also more likely these times to pursue a career in their working field, it makes it difficult for this generation to even consider settling down before their 30s.
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However, does this mean that they are more prone to casual affairs? While most Millennials want true love, they also want to maintain a certain individual independence. And this might be due to the endless dating possibilities and numerous potential partners that the dating apps and social media have opened up. And while there is a vast amount of romantic potential out there, so there is the fear of being cheated upon.
Therefore could it be that Millennials find it harder to trust their partners? Especially since they know how difficult it is to remain loyal in the era of “fast sex”?
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Millennials and Serious Relationships.
According to the New York Times, Millennials are taking longer than previous generations to get to know the other person before proceeding into something more serious. In a study from eHarmony Millennials date longer and stay longer in a serious relationship before proceeding into marriage, compared to previous generations.
That being said, this generation is also more likely to experience a serious relationship that evolved from a friendship or a friend with benefits relation. Therefore it may be the case that amongst new generations the chances of a relationship beginning unorthodoxly are higher.
Whatever the case may be, it is evident that Millennials want to be sure that they made the right choice, when they get married. And that is not because they care less about marriage. On the contrary, it seems that it’s because they care more about it. The majority of single individuals surveyed by Match.com, an online dating platform, do searches for a serious relationship.
In this new era of globalization, freedom of choice can become very confusing. The new generations are called to find their way through working struggles, and global pandemics, while their desire for adventures and traveling is being overpowered by their ambition to change the world. Despite all that, it seems that true love is something they haven’t not given up on just yet. It just may take a bit longer for them to find it.
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This post was previously published on Hello, Love and is republished here with permission from the author.
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Photo credit: Unsplash
