Today's the day, in case you didn't notice. But we're sure your Instagram is flooded with perfectly-filtered flower and teddy bear photos, your Twitter feed's filled with sickeningly sweet hashtags, and love statuses abound on Facebook.
Yet this Valentine's Day may not be as traditionally romantic, one study says, as social networks and online dating take the place of time-honored courtship.
When did revealing the intimacies of your relationship (or lack thereof) online become the norm? How many unfamiliar acquaintances flirtatiously Facebook poke you before even starting a conversation? Technology both helps and hinders the romantic process. It may be lack of time, a call for constant connection, or just plain laziness that draws people to online dating but, without a doubt, it's shaking things up.
International online dating service AnastasiaDate conducted a survey revealing one in four men won't get off the couch to find love. The majority of men ages 35 to 55 have dated online and, of those, 65% successfully met a special someone.
The allure of the Internet, aside from speed and efficiency, also seems to be the veil of courage it provides for would-be suitors.
One quarter of men in the study say they're too nervous to speak to a woman they find attractive, but they fare much differently approaching a person online rather than a face-to-face interaction. One in five men will date "out of their league" because of the wider opportunities online dating yields.
Virtual dating has done more than ease the jitters of the first, awkward conversations, it has significantly altered the well-traveled steps of conventional courtship.
Instead of taking time to explore the welcome intricacies and surprising quirks of a date, all details are available at your fingertips. We've all googled a person before meeting them, scanning over their career history, hobbies and favorite TV shows, not to mention years' worth of Facebook albums.
Online personas allow people to fall in love at first click, even before meeting. Though conversations may not flow so naturally if you've memorized someone's musical taste without asking.
Lawrence Cervantes, chief communications officer for AnastasiaDate.com, argues the shift from traditional dating to online doesn't rid romance of its established habits, it only improves them.
"It's far more convenient, takes emotional stress away from the process, and is more efficient," Cervantes tells Mashable. "It doesn't eliminate the traditional dating ritual, just gives it a shot of Vitamin B."
The report shows most respondents believe one of the benefits is getting to know someone before committing, and 74% feel technology has made dating easier. Perhaps tweeting about your latest favorite gadget is the new alternative to dropping gift hints to your mate.
How drastically has technology impacted our relationships? Is the art of offline dating lost or does online romance improve it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Image courtesy of Flickr, ImNotQuiteJack
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