[PSY]

I do not believe that dating services are simply for the "desperate". What about people who have busy careers, and simply don't have time to find potential partners in the "traditional" manner (ex. hanging out at bars, going on blind dates set up by friends)? Also, what if you live in a very small town, where your choices for dating are limited? Surely there's nothing wrong with reaching out, using technology to your advantage, and finding people within 100 miles who share similar interests.

My father has utilized online dating websites twice. The first time, it led to marriage. A very unhappy marriage (in fact, they just finalized the divorce on Thursday). I do not blame the dating service, however. My father made a poor choice, which he could have done just as easily if he had met his ex-wife "in person" right from the get-go. The second attempt has been fairly successful thus far. He has been with his girlfriend for about a year.

So are dating services for the "desperate"? I'm sure some people ARE desperate, but the same goes for "in person" dating. Some people may also believe online dating services make relationships "easier" to manage, but that is simply not true. You'll still need to meet in person at some point, and you'll still need to put a fair amount of time and effort into making it work in the long-term. I agree with Brandon - the idea that "true love will find you" is unrealistic. It certainly happens for some people, but most people need to put themselves out there in order to meet several people, date for a while before finding "the one". We use Facebook to lay foundations for new friendships, so why not use online dating services to lay foundations for potential new relationships?

I do not believe there is a difference for men and women. It really depends on the individual person, what they're looking for, whether they're being truthful, etc. For example, an attractive woman may encounter numerous perverts through such websites, but so long as she uses good judgment and is cautious in choosing whom she would like to meet, she is bound to find someone who is respectable. The same goes for attractive men, or men with high salaries. So long as they use good judgment and are cautious, they should not have to fear gold-diggers.