DEAR NATALIE: What are your thoughts on Tinder as a source for online dating? A lot of my friends seem to use it, with varying degrees of success, and I find myself curious to try it but a little nervous. I don't like the idea of someone judging me just based off of one photo that they say "Yes" or "No" to. -- Single Lady in the City
DEAR SINGLE LADY IN THE CITY: Swipe "right" if you think this is a good idea, swipe "left" if this seems like a terrible way to meet people. I'm leaning left. For those reading this who aren't familiar with Tinder, it's a dating app that shows you pictures of people (who we will assume are real -- or not), and you decide whether they are worthy of your potential charms by swiping to the right if you are interested and swiping left if you want to forget you ever saw their face.
If you swipe "Yes" and the person swipes "Yes" to your picture, then you can text each other and love can blossom. In reality, while we all judge books by their cover, I don't like this as a way to meet a potential mate. It seems cold, superficial and silly. Yes, online dating is here to stay, but if you really want to meet someone, do it the old-fashioned way. This will involve some social skills, but it is better to cultivate those than end up with some weird arthritis in your pointer finger, right?
Please send your relationship and lifestyle questions to nbencivenga@post-gazette.com or tweet them to @NBSeen. You can also send postal letters to Natalie Bencivenga, 358 North Shore Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
(This column was originally published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.)