There are only so many places where Pace students can find a suitable mate. The Paulie’s crowd is super predictable and the sandwich line at Kessel doesn’t cut it these days. More and more students are falling victim to the iPhone and Android app released in 2012, Tinder, which makes creeping-on-the-low socially acceptable as it combines technology and dating.
Sophomore nursing major Chris Silvestri described Tinder as, “a dumbed-down version of Matchmaker, but only based on looks.”
The game-like app has people squandering their time away as they gamble for a match made in cyberspace, technological heaven. Users link their Facebook accounts to the app, which brings in their social networking pictures, “liked” pages, and mutual friends. Once their profiles are established, users are connected to the profiles of those within a 100-mile radius. Users swipe left or right to reject or accept. If both parties swipe right, a match is made and users can privately chat.
“I’m not sure what the purpose is,” Silvestri said. “I guess it provides kids with an opportunity to meet other kids in their area.”
Clubs and organizations have become seemingly obsolete when it comes to quenching the thirst for human interaction. However, some students, such as sophomore business management major Vincent Barbetto, prefer the “old school” methods of contact.
“I’m not really a social media person,” Barbetto said. “I’d rather meet face to face and see what people have to offer.”
Because the app focuses in on the physical aspects of users; personality and interests fall by the wayside. Tinder keeps it superficial, bringing in elements of sexuality and promiscuity. It’s pretty perfect for those in search of a “quick fix” and completely eliminates the once necessary element of “swag”.
“[Tinder] is solely based on looks so it has a lot to do with sexuality,” Silvestri said, “but I don’t think that’s what it was intended to be.”
So what were the intentions that the creators envisioned? Surely, they didn’t think that the combination of raging hormones and technology would lead to good, wholesome fun.
“A couple of friends and I once drove one of our boys to a girl’s house that he met on Tinder,” Silvestri said. “They smoked, she performed oral sex on him and we left.”
Point in case. It’s fun to “yes, no, yes, no” during commercial breaks and catching mutual friends on the app makes for a good laugh, but when it comes time to grow a pair and meet the person on the other end.
Girls don’t want to risk an Amber Alert and guys don’t want to cave in to desperation. It’s difficult not to hate on an app that makes mingling so convenient, especially for the socially-awkward folks, like myself. I attended Jewish Day School for the majority of my childhood education, which left me rather socially inexperienced upon entering college. Sometimes it’s cool to sit back and get the reassurance from other weirdo, Tinder creeps that like myself are either too lazy or awkward to approach social situations.
Kids should embrace the app, what’s not to like? Unless you’re ugly that is, then this app probably isn’t for you. Let’s just hope the Tinder craze exhausts itself before we’re forced to pound the X on our parents.