Whether it's for finding a soulmate or a casual hookup, online dating has become one of the most popular avenues for singles. In the United States, for example, the number of people who use these services is expected to reach 53.3 million in 2024, up from 44.2 million in 2020.
When we're looking at such a huge crowd, naturally, it's going to be, let's say, colorful. And the subreddit r/Tinder is a great example of that. The community with 5.7 million members is constantly sharing and discussing memorable conversations and profiles they've had and seen on the app.
To show you just how chaotic all of it can be, we at Bored Panda compiled a list of their popular posts. Also, don't miss the conversation we had with London, United Kingdom-based dating and relationships coach Rachel New. You will find it in between the images.
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My Name Is Van And This Left Me Speechless. Bravo
Her Bio Said Demisexual
According to the Pew Research Center, men who have online dated in the past five years are far more likely than women to feel as if they did not get enough messages (57% vs. 24%). On the other hand, women who have online dated in this time period are five times as likely as men to think they were sent too many messages (30% vs. 6%).
And there's a lot of bothersome and harassing behavior involved too, especially for women under the age of 35. For example, 60% of female users ages 18 to 34 say people who use these services continued to contact them after they said they were not interested, while a similar share (57%) report being sent a sexually explicit message or image they didn’t ask for.
I Thought It Was Pretty Funny
Why Are People Like This Lol. What Did They Expect?
"Creating connection and making the woman feel good about herself are some of the key skills I work with heterosexual men on," Rachel New, who strives to change the norms of dating and relating, told Bored Panda. She strongly believes that treating each other well and having an open mind make the world a better place and we should remember that in our romantic endeavors as well.
"There are lots of subtle elements to a conversation that creates connection. They should aim to create warmth and empathy ... talk about personal rather than superficial topics but at the same time make it fun and light-hearted – not easy, I know!"
Am I Too Old For Tinder?
Smooth
I'm too old to think of 'daddy' as a sexual term. I've been calling my husband that for years, the same way my mom used it to refer to my dad, and my grandma used it to refer to my grandpa. It's just what you start saying around the kids, and before you know it, it turns into their name🤷♀️
Either Way Would Work, I'm Not Picky
A majority of the overall public (65%) also thinks the increased focus on sexual harassment and assault in the last few years has made it harder for men to know how to interact with someone they’re on a date with.
To get past this, Rachel New believes that people need to be clear about when they are interested, when they need to take more time to get to know someone, and when they are not."
"Often people (both men and women) show their ambivalence and that is confusing," she noted. "In that situation, why not say 'I'm not sure how I feel about you yet – I need to take some time to think about it' or if you are asked if you want to meet again, why not say 'I never decide on the date – I like to take time to reflect, so I'll message you tomorrow.'"
What Do You Married People Think Abt This One
Seems Kind Of Shallow?
Ironic
Let's Get To Know Each Other's
The dating and relationships coach said this happens due to various reasons, but "often ambivalence comes from unresolved fears or behavior patterns that come from childhood or past relationships, and that’s something I work on with people a lot."
"They may have an avoidant attachment style or feel uneasy about getting close to someone at the same time as craving intimacy. We all need to learn to recognize our triggers and patterns and deal with them," she added.
His Profile Says He’s “Very Sarcastic And Hope You Are Too” He Unmatched Immediately After This Exchange
Note: Fighting Fire With Fire Will Get You Unmatched
Her Bio Said She Was A Childcare Chef... I Got Unmatched Pretty Fast
Where Do I Sign Up
‘Support me financially’ ummm what does that mean (and cue the downvote fairies)
When those who say dating has become harder for most people in the last 10 years are asked to describe in their own words why they think this is the case, women are twice as likely as men to cite increased risk.
Because of this, according to Rachel New, men should make sure they arrange to have the date in a safe, public place so that women know they understand those concerns. Additionally, women should give their location to a friend and check in with them at an agreed time.
"The man can ask before the date 'Do you have any concerns or worries about our date?' and then on the date 'Is there anything I can do to put you at your ease or make you feel safe?'" Rachel explained. "On a date, he can watch her body language — such as whether she moves towards or away from him and whether she makes sustained eye contact — to see how she might feel about moving things on."
Bruh LMAO
Was This Too Harsh?
I Saw That Somebody Had Succes With This Pick Up Line, Thought I'd Try It Myself
It didn't seem that bad as a pick up line, but the answer deactivated it forever.
This Has To Be A New Low
"[Men] can [also] ask questions like 'How many dates do you usually have before you feel comfortable having a first kiss?' and 'How well do you like to know someone to have any physical contact?'"
"At the end of a date, the man can ask 'Shall we have a hug?' or 'Would it be ok to kiss you?' or 'Are you ok for me to put my arm around you?' All of these can also be said by the woman," the dating and relationships coach said.
She Had Basketball As One Of Her Interests
Just When I Was Beginning To Think That I Follow Rules 1 And 2
I Hate Dating Apps So Much
Umm, I think you missed the Chemical X. Me thinks that's why she didn't get it... XD
I Let The Intrusive Thoughts In Again
Everyone should also remember that if they feel uncomfortable, they can simply say 'I don't feel comfortable with this' or 'I don’t feel I know you well enough for that yet' or ask 'Are you comfortable with this?' and say 'Please tell me if you want to take a break.'
If someone wants something to stop, they can calmly request exactly how they would like the other person to behave, such as 'Please can you stop doing …. and give me some space' or 'I need to take a break and work out how I’m feeling' or 'I would like end this date now.'
"Clear, honest communication is so important," Rachel New highlighted.
Guess Being A 26 Year Old Sophomore Should Be Embarrassing Lol
I went back to finish my degree as a nontraditional student too! This data scientist clearly has a problem with outliers.
Bio Said Tell Me A Bad Joke. Sigh
Rizz.. He Stopped Responding
Well All Right Then
Me too! It’s not just a date, but something interesting to experience together. Makes room for more interesting conversation.
Load More Replies...The upside is that plenty of people will absolutely appreciate this person’s thoughtfulness, manners and date ideas. The person demanding dinner dates, on the other hand… good grief
She probably just wanted free food at a fancy restaurant without making it sound like she only wanted expensive food.
Load More Replies...WTF type of insecurity led her to the conclusion that he was questioning her IQ? Those were great date suggestions! But she's an entitled little madam, so he's better off without her anyway.
I'm gonna tell you my first date with my Italian wife (20 years now, I'm a Spaniard) when she was in my city, Valencia, and intended to be here for a couple of months: sitting in a bench beside a fountain, and talking while she had to take a bus to visit some good friends who were in another city (Alicante). Bus was at 16:00 (4 p.m.), she missed it. So, we kept talking, making time for the next bus in the schedule (1 bus any hour). She missed the next bus, and the next one... I insisted that she needed to take the bus at 20:00, since she told me it was a long time that she didn't see their friends, and I knew we would have all the time in the world from next Monday.
The Huntington is definitely one of the best. Plus, it has art & historic documents museums,...
Load More Replies...My first date with my last girlfriend? I took her to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She lived in NYC, so we could meet there and she wouldn't be beholden to me for a ride home if things didn't go well. If things did go well, we could easily go somewhere afterwards. It's a public place, so she isn't alone with someone she just met. And with so many different areas there is plenty to inspire conversation. I'm also full of information and stories, and give a great tour, better even than the paid guides.
Wow. What a c*nt. That is one lucky dude. Hope he doesn't take her ridiculously outdated and entitled advice for "how to treat a woman" to heart.
The funny thing is, his date ideas are actually much more “outdated” and old fashioned than her opinions are. A jaunty stroll about town or a visit to the local gardens sounds like a perfect 18th century courtship.
Load More Replies...The whole time I thought it was the woman in blue and man in white. Never assume. Wow what a b***h
She's a freak his ideas were nice and in no way condescending. Something must be wrong with her IQ to believe dinner is the only option for a date. Wtf
His date ideas were quite refreshing and would love to go on one instead od a boring dinner date.
Seems her parents failed to teach her how relationships work. Properly, anyways. Spoiled princess syndrome detected. Wee woo wee woo.
I would have said yes! All good ideas! A guy inviting me to a garden would score so high! 😍
Im sorry but why the f**k do these good guys get stuck with these entitled bitches this makes me pissed
If she doesn't want any of those date ideas, I have a few friends who would love them and don't live far from Irvine.
His ideas for dates were way better than going to a restaurant. Dodged a bullet there lad.
Some women seem to think that all women are as superficial as they are.
They may not have suggested their potential partner was stupid... but stupid sure proved itself. Some people...
Can someone explain? I don’t get how he was supposed to divine that she wanted a dinner date.
Why women ask like men owe them something because they're women? I think at some point if you go out to an event after that you will go out to dinner .. Hell getting coffee is a good idea after checking out the Botanical Garden
I would have said yes! All nice ideas! A guy inviting me to a garden would score so high! 😍
Her end of the conversation is like trying to read a foreign language. To me anyways.
I'm from the City of Orange and still love to go back "home" and toddle around old towne, many fond memories. dude dodged a c@nt
My husband and I went to brunch as our first date. We had fun and I oddly, was completely relaxed. He hugged me and said, ‘be patient,’ a reference to his career. It just felt right standing there in his arms. Our next date was a very long walk with coffee…. Dates should be the sorts of things that you would do with friends and be a reflections of things you both enjoy without pressure or pretence.
dodged a bullet here . Like a commenter said on a previous post, more red flags that Moscow on May day.
A Duck's game for a DATE!? I don't care if it's the first or the hundredth! What the hell? The answer is yes, did you know blood bounces on ice?
That douche canoe hasn't had many 3rd dates, unless you count his sister's.
"All of this advice also applies to gender fluid, non-binary and trans people, especially with regard to safety and trust," Rachel New said. "If we start to notice the ways in which we categorize people by gender, we will see that we often make assumptions and jump to conclusions that aren’t justified."
"Rather than thinking of men and women as 'them' and 'us' – with 'them' a mystery to us - let's remember that we all have a range of personality traits, values, communication styles, and hang-ups. The latest research from neuroscience shows that the differences within a gender are greater than the differences between genders. If you’re feeling uncertain or insecure, they probably are too!"
Like Getting Blood From A Stone
Guess I'm A Murderer, Calling The Police Now
How the hell did we arrive at a point in society, where some people think it's okay to tell other people to kill themselves? Maybe it's just me, but this drives me nuts. I don't think this is something anyone would say to someone's face, in person. It's just a disgusting, cowardly thing to say.
I'm Unsure What Just Happened
First Time Being Single In 7 Years... Wow I Didn't Miss It
Gentlemen Do Exist!
Alright Boys, What Do I Do Here?
Too Harsh?
Were*🤦♂️
She Actually Blocked/Unmatched
Her Profile Said She Had A PhD
This Is Kinda D**kish Right?
Tinder Providing Me With Quality Men Yet Again
Flirt 100
Note: this post originally had 48 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
What the hell?? My heart goes out to any of you who have to navigate the ridiculous hellscape that modern dating has become.
That is why I have decided to not even try anymore. I would rather be alone than have to slog through other people's s**t to try and find someone.
Load More Replies...These are my favorite kind of topics. The crazy things people say to each other trying to date or get laid.
Rude and stupid. Too many want to deliver a 'burn' instead of just being a decent human.
It seems like a lot of them really just want to insult people to tickle their self esteem or something
Load More Replies...I am sooooo happy that I am married! Are there really that many conceited trash people in the dating world now?
it's not that everyone in the dating pool suddenly became conceited, but rather that it's harder to strike up a conversation these days because of how intertwined our lives have become with the internet.
Load More Replies...Sometimes I decide to open up the apps... Usually within a few days I give up. Mine aren't usually THIS bad but they can be close...
hello, i’m Victoria by name. some times ago i was just very much in a mess, i was having issues with my husband because i was having the feeling that he is going out with another lady but he insisted that she is his friend and nothing more, i didn't have access to his phone and that got the whole issue complicated. i was just very lucky to meet this HACKER4WISE @ GMAIL COM who helped spy on his phone without him knowing, i was able to see the past messages and also deleted messages.
I was using various dating apps a couple years ago. Complete waste of time and money. Looking through women's profiles and using their interests to strike up conversations didn't work. The only ones that replied were scammers or those that lied about their location. Either those that didn't reply weren't active, or guys are so horrible that women can't tell when someone is showing genuine interest in wanting to know more about them.
Just so many a$$holes out there; unreal that people have to put up with this nonsense. Glad I’m married to a fantastic person.
It's better to be single. The only bad thing about dating, is the people.
Emigrated? Lol, hope you weren't too homesick! I've probably passed you on the street plenty of times, it's a small world.
What the hell?? My heart goes out to any of you who have to navigate the ridiculous hellscape that modern dating has become.
That is why I have decided to not even try anymore. I would rather be alone than have to slog through other people's s**t to try and find someone.
Load More Replies...These are my favorite kind of topics. The crazy things people say to each other trying to date or get laid.
Rude and stupid. Too many want to deliver a 'burn' instead of just being a decent human.
It seems like a lot of them really just want to insult people to tickle their self esteem or something
Load More Replies...I am sooooo happy that I am married! Are there really that many conceited trash people in the dating world now?
it's not that everyone in the dating pool suddenly became conceited, but rather that it's harder to strike up a conversation these days because of how intertwined our lives have become with the internet.
Load More Replies...Sometimes I decide to open up the apps... Usually within a few days I give up. Mine aren't usually THIS bad but they can be close...
hello, i’m Victoria by name. some times ago i was just very much in a mess, i was having issues with my husband because i was having the feeling that he is going out with another lady but he insisted that she is his friend and nothing more, i didn't have access to his phone and that got the whole issue complicated. i was just very lucky to meet this HACKER4WISE @ GMAIL COM who helped spy on his phone without him knowing, i was able to see the past messages and also deleted messages.
I was using various dating apps a couple years ago. Complete waste of time and money. Looking through women's profiles and using their interests to strike up conversations didn't work. The only ones that replied were scammers or those that lied about their location. Either those that didn't reply weren't active, or guys are so horrible that women can't tell when someone is showing genuine interest in wanting to know more about them.
Just so many a$$holes out there; unreal that people have to put up with this nonsense. Glad I’m married to a fantastic person.
It's better to be single. The only bad thing about dating, is the people.
Emigrated? Lol, hope you weren't too homesick! I've probably passed you on the street plenty of times, it's a small world.