Dating Decisions

Hello Alexa,

I am a single person who is looking to settle down. I typically date online because my career is very demanding. However, to my dismay, I have encountered great difficulty in finding a person who meets all of my criteria: smart, funny, driven, loyal, attractive, and spontaneous. Is it possible to find someone who satisfies all of my requirements?

From,                                                                                                                                                                           Alex

Dear Alex,

Not only do we share similar names, but we also have both been confronted with the challenging prospect of finding that perfect someone behind a computer screen. Are there people with everything we are looking for or are we indulging in illusions? Turning to the economic principle of inflation provides a satisfying answer.

Economically speaking, inflation occurs when there is a decrease in value of an object. This decrease could be anything from grades to money. In terms of grading, let’s say in a college class, as grades go up, they represent less. In other words, if all the students in the class receive an A, although not everyone deserved an A, then the value of the grade is not as meaningful to a hardworking student compared to if only one-fifth of the class received an A. Turning to your wallet, your money buys a decreasing portion of an item as inflation increases. In a fictitious world, for example, the price of gas inflates 10% each year. Currently, you are paying $2.00 per gallon, but in twelve months, you will be doling out $2.20 per gallon. Your $2.00 can no longer buy the same amount of gas that it once did as a result of inflation. Unfortunately, inflation does not increase the quality of the good you are purchasing.

Inflation also runs rampant on dating websites where many people bolster their profiles with false information to make themselves seem more desirable. In this sense, the profiles are inflated for personal benefit, even though true personalities are often masked. So, while you may think you are chatting with someone who belongs on the front page of a glamorous magazine, you could be communicating with a person who appears on the last page of their town newspaper.

So, what to do? The first step towards attracting an online match is recognizing that nobody is perfect; anyone who appears to be a “10” might not be one in real life. If you’re looking for an ideal date with an authentic person, try reaching out to someone who seems to have more realistic qualities. Keep in mind that picture perfect is not always a reflection of perfection. I hope you meet your special someone!

Sincerely,

P.S. Alexa sends an H/T to Carolyn Hax and her Washington Post article titled “Stop Thinking of Dating as Solely a Numbers Game” for inspiring this post.