Marknis wrote:
That one was a grueling experience for me. Never got any replies the summer I tried it, the amount of single mothers was huge, and the expectations the women were posting discouraged me.
I didn't even bother with POF because it was quite clear most women (and I am sure men too) had very serious psychological issues/baggage from being cheated on, abused, etc. that you were expected to deal with. How many times did I read "NO GAMES!! !" or "ALL MEN ARE PIGS PROVE ME WRONG" or my favorite "I know this is a waste of time but here goes nothing". There was never any mention of what they had to offer but they always had a laundry list for you. Almost like my crazy ex who despite having no job, no education, no prospects and being mentally unstable pointed out on her profile how she was "too good" for what was obviously referring to me. Whatever.
I did meet someone who had a POF profile (I met them elsewhere) and she was downright scary. I made a lighthearted, inoffensive joke and she angrily ranted on and on about how she was a black belt and would stand up to anybody and nobody was going to take advantage of her. She was also in massive debt, lived in a crappy apartment and was also legally liable for her ex because she sponsored him. Single life looked really damn appealing at that point!
I still maintain that the only major experience I got from online dating was a deep mistrust of women in general and an overall bitter and jaded attitude that nearly scared my wife away. I grant I did meet my wife online but I would have eventually found her outside of a dating site anyway. Sure I managed to get tons of dates by the end, but what was the point of spending an hour with a serial dater who I had little interest in?