I have heard a lot recently regarding this new dating app called Tinder.
The app draws from your Facebook profile in order to create a short and minimalistic dating profile.
Your profile on Tinder contains between one and six photos of your choosing, your first name, age and a short bio if you choose to write one.
It also displays your distance from other Tinder users and any common Facebook interests or friends you may have with someone viewing your profile.
Typical dating site right? Not quite. It’s the actual operation of Tinder that gets a little interesting.
The app functions by swiping left and right.
A person pops up on your screen. You then swipe right if you like what you see (or tap the heart) or swipe left if you’re not interested (tap the “x”).
Initially, all you see of their profile is their name, picture, age and distance from you.
You must click their picture if you would like to read their bio and discover any shared interests or friends.
If you and that person are “matched” (meaning you both swiped right), then you are notified and allowed to send messages to each other if you choose.
Eager to see what all the rage was about, I downloaded the Tinder app a few weeks ago.
I didn’t get into it right away. I was matched with several guys and received several messages, but it wasn’t the messaging part that really got to me.
As time went on I found myself going on Tinder when I was bored.
I would be casually swiping left and right without a second thought. It kind of became like a habit, in the worst way.
I found myself rarely clicking on someone’s picture to read their bio or view their interests. I simply glanced at their picture, determined if I found them physically attractive and then swiped accordingly.
I came to the realization that this app was creating a shallowness in me that I despised….or was it already there?
I had several matches and several short conversations, but I certainly did not know any of the guys displayed on the app, especially the ones I swiped left on. I was making several split decisions a minute solely based on appearance, and those guys had done the same to me.
The real revelation occurred when I discovered that I did this in real life as well, although maybe not to the same degree.
I am not sure that this habit was created by Tinder, but it certainly made me more aware.
I, and I am assuming many other people, am constantly judging others based on appearance alone.
Just think, before someone even opens their mouth you have several ideas about their personality and their life just based on the way they look.
Just the other day one of my good friends said something in regards to a girl that lives in our building.
She exclaimed “I don’t like her,” to which I responded “Why?” She said, “I don’t know. She just looks like all she wants is attention.” And there it is.
She just swiped left on to that girl in real life. She didn’t read her bio and she didn’t send her a message.
She looked at her picture, made a judgment and stuck with it.
Needless to say, I deleted the app. But I wouldn’t say it was a totally negative experience.
Tinder brought out something in me that I certainly did not like, but as I have explained, I have re-learned a very old lesson…..never judge a book by its cover!
Bridget Goedke
Viewpoints Editor
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