By Samara of A Buick in the Land of Lexus
Tinder – lowering sexual standards since 2012.
Tinder is the fast food of online dating – quick, cheap, and temporarily curbs your hunger. Although I’m sure people have met their significant others on Tinder – just given the sheer quantity using it – it has an undeniably sleazy quality to it.
No judgments here. I like the sleaze.
Tinder combines everything that is wrong with society – hook-up culture, chatting with people without real interaction, the desire for instant gratification, making snap judgments, rejecting people solely upon their looks – into one convenient online shopping-type app.
A veritable smorgasbord of single (ha!) people! Swipe and go!
In a recent article that I made up, the CEO of Tinder argued that Tinder is a progressive social construct which gives legitimacy to the online dating phenomenon.
They left out the part where you don’t need to have even $5 in your pocket to leave the house and purchase a beer somewhere. Or the ability to hold even the most rudimentary of real-life conversations.
And yet, people everywhere are getting laid off this app. It’s the cyber version of grunting, clubbing a woman over the head, and dragging her back to your cave for hot troglodyte sex.
It’s also free. That gives you an idea of the financial status of many Tinderonis. I’m not saying it’s teeming with broke-ass motherfuckers, but apparently, I appeal to a great many of them.
Perhaps because I look kinda funky in my profile pics and am holding a guitar in one, I attract a lot of artist-writer-musician types. Ain’t nothing wrong with that! I had one filmmaker/poet/scuba diver/bong creator invite me to his gorgeous beach house – which turned out to be his parents’ gorgeous beach house. Because he doesn’t have a job.
Broke AND entitled? Next to peanut butter and chocolate (ummm, Reese’s), that’s my favorite combination!
No one should give up his dream. However, if you’re approaching 50 and your artsy dream doesn’t include being able to afford a studio apartment, perhaps it’s time to modify your dream? To one that includes a steady paycheck and perhaps a dental plan because OMG are you kidding with those teeth?
There are men who actually open with gross sexual overtures, like “Hi! Spit or swallow?” Oh, WOW, it’s like Sophie’s Choice; how can I make that decision?! I will probably want to do both, you suave devil, you!
Some men are either trying desperately to be quirky, or English is not their first language. I don’t want to meet “I’m half a camel, I once tipped a stripper in McNuggets.”
There are quite a few men with that “restraining order” look in their eyes. Their profiles tend to go something like, “BOOM! YOU BITCHES CAN’T HANDLE THIS. THE PARTY’S ALL UP IN HERE. POW!” (And other cartoon fight sounds. Kapow!)
I don’t understand what motivates someone to pose shirtless in a club, guzzling a bottle of vodka, with his arm around another chick. The 1995 rave called; it wants its sweaty chest picture back.
Some men put up only pictures of their face, then FIVE pictures of random objects. Like, 5 car pics. Their profiles say things like, “Love cars, weed, partying.” Fabulous! Let’s get stoned and DRIVE AROUND, SHALL WE? I would love to court death with a guy who describes himself as a “SWAGASAURUS.”
I may need to join a different online dating service, one that costs actual money to join and requires that you have reasonable proficiency with the use of your opposable thumbs.
I did meet a handsome, sweet, funny guy. He made me laugh, which is always a plus. I was about to give him my number when he asked me if he could tell me about a certain “fetish” he has.
I’m pretty open, so I was curious.
He has a “crush” fetish. DON’T GOOGLE THIS. YOU CANNOT UNSEE THIS.
There are two levels. Level 1 is getting turned on by insects and other invertebrates being crushed. Level 2 is getting sexually turned by small vertebrates, like kittens or bunny rabbits, getting crushed to death.
WTF? Is this Tinder or an episode of Criminal Minds? That night I wept for humanity and slept with a Bible under my pillow.
There are so many bizarre encounters on Tinder…
…people MUST be using it for the entertainment. I know I do.
This dude is one of my favorites. His picture is from a Purina Puppy Chow ad. He loves to hold conversations with me that make ZERO sense. He rarely responds to anything I say, so I’ve just begun saying random things – to see if he’s even reading what I wrote.
I’m pretty sure he’s a bot.
Another man rambled on and on about what we would do once we were a “couple,” despite the fact that we hadn’t even MET yet. Here’s an excerpt:
What a fun-filled night! Perhaps I’ll even get to squeeze a few of his blackheads!
Despite the fact that Tinder is yet another nail in the coffin of Western civilization, it’s a fun app and I’m keeping it because hey—I’M on there, right? So it can’t be ALL bad. Now I just need to find the male version of myself. Although, some might argue I’m already the male version of myself.
It might be the fast food of online dating, but I won’t deny that even I crave some Micky D’s once in a while.
Of course, McDonald’s won’t give you herpes…
Have you been on Tinder? Or other online dating services? Did you meet your significant other that way? IS THERE HOPE? Talk to me. I’m listening.
This post was originally published on A Buick in the Land of Lexus.
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About the Author
Samara is the no-holds-barred, seven-times Freshly Pressed blogger at A Buick in the Land of Lexus. She mixes honesty with humor in high definition, first-person story telling. Samara has been featured on Scary Mommy, BLUNTmoms, Mamapedia, Mamamia, and Human Parts. She lives in New Jersey with her son Little Dude, the coolest 11-year-old kid on the planet. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.