At one time, there was a definite stigma attached to meeting people online. Even though online dating sites have been around since the internet first opened shop, most people avoided these sites like the plague. For some reason, they viewed them as the last refuge of the dull or undesirable. But years later, people are starting to sing a different tune.
In fact, online dating sites are more popular than they have ever been as millions of people communicate on these sites each and every day. What prompted the change? In a word: cold, hard numbers. The fact is that all of the current data tells us that marriage is on the decline.
Yes, we know, the media always seems to be saying something negative about the institution of marriage. First it was that divorce rates were at an all time high and then it was that adultery was an epidemic. But the latest numbers are particularly difficult to dispute, and they tell us that people are simply not getting married like they used to.
According to recent statistics, the marriage rate in the UK is at its lowest level in more than a century and a half. It is also true that people are waiting longer than ever to get married. For men the average age of a first marriage is an incredible 37, while for women it is 34.
That is why men and women of all ages and from all different walks of life are connecting on the internet. These online dating sites give singles the ability to peruse profiles of compatible individuals and then to meet them on their own timetable. There is no rush and there is also a diminished risk of heart-rending rejection.