The Most Cringeworthy Dating App Encounters This Week (April 19, 2023)

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

Apr 19, 2023 3:30 PM EDT

To be completely honest, I don't think dating was that much better in the good old days without apps. The average singleton still had to face their fair share of douchebags, especially if they were a woman. Sure, there were the 'lucky' ones who shacked up with their college sweetheart or cute co-worker, but how much was that the result of feeling like there wasn't anyone better out there? Fun fact: the US divorce rate has been on the decline since 1990.

Admittedly, the issue is at the opposite end of the spectrum now — everyone seems to think that whatever person they're chatting to is a stopgap before their perfect forever partner comes along. It's not a healthy attitude, but it is partly driven by the fact that there are so many individuals who use dating apps in awful ways. I want to believe in the inherent goodness of humankind, but seeing how some Tinder users act, it's hard to keep the faith.