The History of Dating
Dating evolved from the old tradition of courtship. Courtship is similar to dating, except for two main factors. First, courtship implied the intention of marriage, whereas dating does not necessarily require obligations or serious intentions. Second, courtship meetings were held between the prospective couple in the presence of others, while dating does not include supervised meetings. Dating was meant to be a more intimate way for couples to spend time together, deciding whether they should continue or not.
In recent years, dating has expanded horizons to include internet dating. With the modern convenience of internet dating websites, singles have the ability to view a summary about potential candidates before making a decision to initiate contact. An option to converse electronically, or have “virtual” dates, is a popular idea for singles, before deciding to meet in person. Many people are apprehensive about internet dating scams, but there are also many people who have happy stories to tell regarding how they met their match.
Another form of dating includes blind dates. This type of dating was named “blind” because two people who have never seen or met one another are introduced in a date setting, usually arranged by mutual friends. Just as internet dating, there are mixed stories of woe and happiness as the result of blind dates.