Final Word: Search engines taking fun out of dating

Have you Googled something lately?

Probably.

OK, maybe you didn’t use Google.com, but you likely typed something into your search engine of choice to find it on the Web. Isn’t it amazing how quickly THAT became the way we get information?

Google turns 15 this month.

In 15 years, the company went from filing paperwork to incorporate to becoming the industry standard for finding stuff. Any stuff.

And if you haven’t Googled yourself, you might be amazed at what’s out there. It makes you wonder if there are any secrets left.

A writer at Nerve.com described himself as a Google “stalker.”

He said that he never goes out on a date without first Googling the woman. Thus, he knows everything about them. There are no secrets. And no strangers.
“Every date is like a movie based on a book I have already read.”

I don’t know about you, but this sounds pretty boring.
And what if something your date says doesn’t jibe with his or her online google profile? You might not trust that person anymore and what if it’s the online profile that’s wrong?

And what about the idea of just MEETING someone NEW?
Are we so scared these days that we don’t want to?

I, for one, am really glad I am not dating right now.
Not only was I a terrible dater, I am not quite up to speed on all the social media ramifications.

But mostly I don’t want to be judged for something I might not actually be because you read something online. It’s like being judged on something that someone who doesn’t even know you SAYS about you to someone you haven’t met yet.