Dating

Dating - A Mutable Concept

The word Dating is part of our everyday language. Still, it is hard to describe the concept behind the term in a precise and generally accepted way. The term takes on various shades of meaning depending on people’s cultural and social background, age, education and gender. Other points of difference are personal expectations and preferences.

Between Safety Net and Adventure

By and large dating can be understood as the first stage of two people getting to know each other. This is the time emotional attachments are formed. As a social activity dating depends on culturally established codes of behaviour. Every woman and man in search of a partner abides by rules to some extend. These rules represent a safety net. They not only provide guidelines of how to behave on a date but also of what to expect in return. Despite that, dating also includes the element of adventure. In going on a date we expose ourselves to the unknown and unexpected. However, it is this aspect which accounts for a large part of the pleasure experienced.

From Courting to Dating

Attitudes of how a relationship between two people should be initiated have changed greatly over time. The word dating itself became used in this context for the first time in the US in the 1920s. The much older term courting has acquired an old-fashioned sound in our modern world. However, it still evokes ideas many people connect with dating. These include finding true love or a soul mate. Thus, there is a clear emphasis on romance. In the past courting was not a private matter as dating is today but a public one. It was firmly controlled by rules of conduct and decorum. Nowadays dating is much more loosely organized and therefore grants more freedom to the persons involved. This freedom admittedly can lead to confusion as possibilities for finding dates have multiplied. This is due to modern communication techniques, especially the internet. In times like these the dating agency PARSHIP provides valuable assistance in finding the right partner for a lasting relationship.