Bumble, Tinder, Hinge & dating apps are destroying America

From FaceTime and instant messaging to the plethora of social media platforms on the internet, “interconnected” has perhaps become the most fitting term to describe

contemporary society. And indeed, with our ability to communicate with anyone at the click of a button, we now have more opportunities to connect than ever before. All of this

considered, one question remains: Why do so many Americans feel more lonely now than ever?  The answer may be rooted in the decline of genuine and authentic relationships,

particularly romantic relationships. A study conducted at the University of California, Berkeley revealed that the number of Americans who do not have a “steady romantic

partner” has increased by 50% since 1986.  Many experts are attributing this statistic to the rise of social media and casual dating apps, with nearly half of young adults in

the U.S. reporting having used an online dating platform. Apps such as Tinder, Hinge, Bumble and OkCupid are all marketed with the promise to increase your chances of finding love.

However, the numbers don’t seem to add up: Despite the high volume of individuals who use these dating sites (about 53 million in 2022), only 12% of these individuals reported

eventually forming a committed relationship.  So, why is this the case? The ultimate goal of online dating apps should be to function as a conduit in creating committed

relationships, right? Wrong. The realm of online dating has become a multi-billion dollar industry — an industry that profits primarily off of user addiction, especially by

keeping its users single. The way that the industry accomplishes this is twofold, relying on qualities of gamification and what psychologist Barry Schwartz refers to as the

“paradox of choice.” The presence of the choice paradox in online dating is perhaps best understood through the analogy of online shopping. Studies have shown that as shoppers

are exposed to more options for potential purchases, they are paradoxically less likely to be satisfied with their ultimate decision. As our brains become inundated with a variety

of choices, we often experience choice paralysis: An anxiety-induced state that prevents us from making a resounding decision.  On Tinder, the user’s experience of choice

overload has become a frequent occurrence. In the emergence of what some are calling “serial swipers,” many users can be seen displaying strong hesitations to commit to a

singular option due to fears of missing out on a potentially better one. The infiltration of the choice paradox into the realm of relationships is especially dangerous. Unlike the