Dating

Depending on your point of view, the task of finding a mate used to be a lot simpler than it is today. In fact if we take a look at human history, we can see that most of the time any concept of choice was eliminated totally from the mate equation; a quick glance along the time line:

Evolution (or creation) -> middle ages: The guy with the most skills wins the most women. A lesson learned directly from nature.

Middle ages -> Noble Ages: Everyone gets set up. Either at birth or by a matchmaker, there is no longer any choice about who someone is going to marry. Peasants still have some options but for the most part everything is controlled.

Noble Ages -> American Revolution: A new spin on the evolution period, the guy with the most still wins but women don't have the luxury of choosing. They are told who the perfect guy is.

American Revolution -> 1960s: Women get some choice back but not much. Options are severely limited by social class and religious fervour of parents. While there are some women entering the work force, both as factory workers making steel benders during the war effort or breaking into such fields as attorneys they still did not nearly have the status we do today.

1960s-> present day: Dating gains popularity as young people gain independence. Although liberating, dating gives rise to multiple problems as explored in shows such as Sex in the City.

You might have already seen that although our mate finding methods have changed, with people now finding a date through their iPhone pouches and the bar downstairs from their Oakville Homes, there are still elements of each age to be found in the world today. And of course, the options you have as far as finding a mate will depend on your culture.

Here in North America, though, the search tool of choice is the date. Dating is both glorious and a bit of a nightmare; on the one hand, it is exciting to meet someone new and to feel that rush as you move into a relationship and the different steps; on the other, the pressure to find and impress a date is enormous and sometimes just too difficult to deal with. Sometimes it can feel like the final exam before you can start a real estate career, pinning your whole future on a few hours. While people are staying single longer, there is still the belief that you should be on your way to that home in the suburbs, with your spouse and 2.5 kids.

There is no sure-fire way to guarantee you have a successful date, or even that you find one. You could talk to a Kitchener counselling specialist in relationship and they will tell you that the act of dating is by no means finite. There are numerous different resources out there; you can hit the bars, ask someone out from work, surf the Internet dating scene or get set up. The only thing that is certain is that you need to keep one thing in mind: dating is the same thing as a job interview, but with the possibility of sex (without getting sued) at some point.

So, who is conducting the interview, and who is being interviewed? Well, it depends on what each party is looking for. Most of the time, both are playing simultaneous roles; keep in mind that as far as dating goes the job interview should be a long one.

Of course, some people don't date with the goal of finding a long term companion at all. Some are in it just for the sex - and not just guys either. Some want to see what is out there and meet as broad a range of people as they can. And some people are just bored and want something to do on a Saturday night with a companion. Just remember, if you're one of these people, try to stay away from dates who are picking out your bathroom furniture before you get the check!

Whatever your reasons for dating, remember that even in the modern age, caution is key. There are a lot of ways for a date to turn sour, and not just on the date itself. Just because dating is the latest development as far as the evolution of the mating cycle doesn't mean it is perfect!