So many of our guy friends have Tinder and are not ashamed to admit it. Our girlfriends, however, are quite the opposite. The ones who are on Tinder either don’t say anything about it or when they bring up they’re going on a “Tinder Date” they seem bashful and immediately start rattling off justifications for being on the app. Through all its hype, it’s clear that guys and girls view it completely differently.
Guys don’t take it seriously and view it as an opportunity to meet girls. In fact, most guys kind of view it similarly to actually being at a bar. They wouldn’t approach a girl they didn’t find attractive at the bar, so why would they “swipe right” on a girl they didn’t think was hot? To them, it’s basically the same thing except this occurs in the comfort of their own phone. Perhaps guys have an easier time with this, because they have never been ashamed of “trying to get girls”, so Tinder is just another option.
For the most part, girls are embarrassed to be on it and found on it. One time, one of us (who shall remain nameless) was at a bar and a guy came up and said “hey I’ve seen you on Tinder before”. The mortification this caused resulted in that app being deleted IMMEDIATELY. In a girl’s mind, being spotted on Tinder translates as being desperate enough to look to an iPhone App to get a date. We feel little pieces of our dignity being taken away as we continually swipe left passing by troll after troll. We ask ourselves, “are these seriously my only options?!”. What ever happened to the old fashioned, girl meets boy, boy asks her out, and they live happily ever after?
A significant argument for the girl side of this debate is that some guys ruin Tinder for the rest! The creeps out there looking for quick hookups discourage girls from wanting to keep the app. Further, these same creeps are who give the app it’s bad reputation as a venue people use just to get ass. Maybe a girl once in a blue moon is looking for just that too, but most likely, she’s looking for a guy to take her on a proper date or at least someone new to meet-up with in a social setting.
Where the boys have it right is that we all whine and complain about how hard it is to meet people post-college, when we arent all corralled into the same buildings and hang outs with no other choices. As creatures of habits, we frequent the same bars and restaurants yet gripe about not meeting anyone new. A big credit to Tinder is that it could very well be a great opportunity to meet some new people, especially if you’re brand new to town!
It’s a classic case of boys vs. girls. Boys are more laid back, and view it for what it is; a great way to take advantage of our technology filled lives. To girls, we feel that having the app speaks volumes about who we are, worry it makes us look slutty, and think it implies we are pretty desperate to find a man. It doesn’t have to be like this, but girls choose to see it this way.
As Tinder goes, to each his own. Love it or hate it, it’s here to stay. It’s convenient, easy, and actually does bring some people together, in whatever way suits their liking!
