Why Do People Date?
Dating is an acceptable form of social interaction that enables a man and a woman to get to know more about each other. There used to be a time before the 20th century when the idea of dating was for the purpose of determining whether a man and a woman were suitable for matrimony. It usually included one couple and was done with chaperones. It was all very proper and clear intentioned. These days, not only is the purpose of dating not the same, but the rules for dating are very different from what they used to be. It is possible for a man and a woman to go out and spend time together for the simple reason that they enjoy each others company. There is no commitment for marriage. There are no more chaperones unless the parties involved are teenagers and only if the parents of the girl are very strict.
People date for companionship. This is perhaps the reason why exclusive dating is not practiced unless the couple has mutually agreed to only go out with each other and no other. Why do people date? Dating is tightly entwined with the concept of romance. This is one reason why women have a higher expectation when a man asks a woman for a date. When the date happens more than once, a woman takes it to mean that the man is interested in her. This is something that modern dating has changed. If the man is not explicit in his intentions towards a woman then he is bound to raise the woman’s expectations. Even in this day and age, it is not acceptable for a man to treat a woman with disregard. The only difference is that women need to be open to the idea that a man does not intend to wed a woman even if they have gone out and even slept with each other in the course of dating.
Having a sexual relationship is another thing that has evolved in dating. In Victorian times, it was considered inappropriate for a man to bed a girl he is not married to. These days, if the couple is mutually agreeable to having this kind of relationship, then there is no problem. The type of dating has also changed. Dating can be done via the telephone or through a computer. The relationship is fostered through calls or chats online, although some sociologists are wary of the quality of the relationship that can be developed online as opposed to interacting with each other face to face. There is no guarantee that the person on the other end is really who he or she really is. The reason is that there is no way of verifying the truth about the person. There are, however, many success stories. When this happens you do not ask “why do people date?”
