When online dating first began to enter into the social consciousness, it became known as a last ditch effort for lonely unfortunates, who had no other way to meet people. Comedy skits like the Lowered Expectations routine by MAD TV poked fun at the personals industry and the stereotypes of singles who needed to use dating services. These days, however, the online dating industry seems to be shedding its negative image, and trading it in for the new mainstream, popular way to connect with new people. How did this industry achieve its facelift? How did the socially awkard associations get traded in for its shiny new exterior?
The early path of online dating was a rocky one. It was rejected, made fun of, and openly mocked on television. These days, however, it seems that online dating has now been openly embraced by the masses who previously shunned it. As is often the case, once something has a few proud followers, it is much easier for others to become more and more accepting. This is certainly true for online dating. It took online dating persistence and continuous self improvement to become the internet force it has today. Just look around: practically everyone knows...