~ Welcome to v13 of #thebalance ~
One of the common themes I find myself hitting on in #thebalance fairly regularly is the digitization trends happening across the world, right under our noses. See my previous posts on attention, work, and money - just as a few examples.
Which brings me to this week’s post. The digitization of love - i.e. online dating, or what is sometimes referred to as swipin’ right, and how its fundamentally changing our societies.
Who would have thought Tinder would be the spark changing our reproductive habits??
Highlights on what you will find in this week’s post, include:
#GetSmart >>> Online Dating. Inspired by a post I came across this past week. Its proliferation and effects on society.
#GetReadin’ >>> A summer 2019 book recommendation and review. If you are into Sci-Fi, this is a classic.
#GetDoin’ >>> A recommendation for what to do if you are looking to switch things up + maybe do some in person things while meeting new people.
⬇️ More below ⬇️
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***Just as a refresher, the core thesis of this newsletter is to pique your curiosity by aggregating interesting topics in a thematic, bite sized, and relevant manner (w/ original posts occasionally) - ranging from blog posts, books, music, events, podcasts, and ideas on how to stay active, travel or otherwise... And please keep sending feedback my way… the goal is to make this thing worth it for you!***
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#GetSmart
Who hasn’t tried online dating these days? I mean seriously, I met my wonderful girlfriend (shout out to Jeks!) through Hinge 2+ years ago… and know many others in my age group who have met their lovers and friends through the interwebs.
>>>> Dating Apps Bringing the Heat
Internet dating has become WAY less taboo… if nothing else, the money proves it! Match Group, which is the behemoth in the “dating” space (it is public traded/ majority owned by IAC with a market cap of ~$22bn), counts brands like Tinder, Hinge (acquired this year), & OKCupid under its umbrella. From Match to Bumble to The League to Grindr, dating applications & websites have proliferated society, transforming the way both young and old look for love in today’s modern world.
The inspirational spark for this week’s post came from one of my favorite thought-provoking columnists, Derek Thompson who is a Staff Writer at The Atlantic. Derek’s post about the digital matchmaking platforms proliferating our lives covers the latest findings in a report by Michael Rosenfeld at Stanford University, titled Disintermediating your friends.
>>>> Dating Digitization
“Dating has changed more in the past two decades than in the previous 2,000 years, thanks to the explosion of matchmaking sites.” See below:
Heterosexual couples
…and Same-Sex Dating is even more exponentially effected by the internet
(source: Michael J. Rosenfeld, “Searching for a Mate: The Rise of the Internet as a Social Intermediary” (American Sociological Review, 2012))
>>>>> A Diagnosis to Loneliness?
Maybe not.
Derek writes, “If the journey toward coupling is more formidable than it used to be, it’s also more lonesome. With the declining influence of friends and family and most other social institutions, more single people today are on their own, having set up shop at a digital bazaar where one’s appearance, interestingness, quick humor, lighthearted banter, sex appeal, photo selection—one’s worth—is submitted for 24/7 evaluation before an audience of distracted or cruel strangers, whose distraction and cruelty might be related to the fact that they are also undergoing the same anxious appraisal.”
Pretty gloom portrayal of our online world. Dating or otherwise.
On the contrary, however, these technologies do significantly democratize our chances of meeting people with similar interests and, in theory, reduce the physical & social barriers to finding love that exist in the real world (like meeting at a church, for example). Two sides to every sword…
>>>> Global Implications
The loneliness epidemic continues to get worse on a global scale. So much so that world leaders have started to intervene. As one example, “British Prime Minister Theresa May appointed the world’s first Minister for Loneliness in January 2018” to combat the issue at a national level.
(^^^ thanks to my friend Kris for the heads up on this article in his latest Party at the Moontower newsletter)
In addition, marriage rates continue to decline - almost 60 percent of marriages that begin before the age of 22 end in divorce, but the same goes for just 36 percent of those who marry from the ages of 29 to 34.
🤔 What does this mean for the future of humanity? Well for one, even if people are getting hitched less, the world population is still expected to hit 9.8 billion by 2050, despite the nearly universal lower fertility rate across the globe.
… Maybe people will eventually just shake their physical bodies and enter into the ever perfect world of the Metaverse to find happiness 😉
#GetReadin’
One of my reads this summer has been the science fiction classic, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, which also rumored to be coming to Amazon Prime in form of a bingeworthy series soon.
⭐ If you are into Sci-Fi books, its worth your time
My take: Published in 1992 (which is CRAZY) the novel was WAY ahead of its time. Stephenson takes readers into a dystopian United States where physical and digital worlds collide. In the physical world, the US Federal Government no longer rules and in the digital world, deemed “The Metaverse” (think Ready Player One), people exist as their best selves. Aside from making you wonder about what a future digital-first society might look like (which is brilliant in its own right), the novel is able to successfully weave the concepts of early history, linguistics, religion, computer science, politics, and philosophy throughout - making you think twice about who you are and where we might be headed.
P.S. Remember when I posted a link in the #thebalance space race issue on what today’s billionaires are using for their inspiration to build the future (hint hint, its sci-fi books)?? Put Snow Crash in that category.
#GetDoin’
If you live in New York City and are looking to switch things up + meet some new peeps (and not just for romantics), I highly recommend checking out the Joy List, Jillian Richardson’s company & every-Monday newsletter.
I first discovered The Joy List about a year ago and have been an avid follower / fan of what she is doing since then (going to quite a few of the meet ups myself). In short, she is focused on helping other people find happiness and combat loneliness in-person first. You can even hire her as a personal consultant for a curated meet up & event list to find the right people for you at events & meet ups.
She has build a phenomenal brand and company that has seen a ton of growth around its community here in New York. Be sure you check it out and subscribe to her newsletter… and give me a shout if you plan to attend any of the Joy List events soon!
Have a great week all!!
Curiously,
Brian
***Including a snippet from the Exponential View newsletter (a must read for me each week), which posts the below carbon tracker. Latest update below:
“Each week, we’re going to remind you of the CO2 levels in the atmosphere.
The latest measurement (as of July 15): 412.46 ppm; 12 months ago: 409ppm; 50 years ago: 326.66ppm; 250 years ago, est: 250ppm. Share this reminder with your community by forwarding this email or tweeting this.
Climate change adaptation is not just a matter of keeping the sea out or building more resilient city infrastructure. It’s also about social adaptation—the laws, the institutions and the basic commitment to recognizing the rights and needs of those worst affected by climate change.
We’ve passed the seasonal peak for readings of CO2 at Mauna Loa. As our plants green, particularly in Siberia, they will suck some of the CO2 out of the atmosphere. Focus on the delta over the past 12 months. The delta itself continues to increase. We are ~3,958 days from the dreaded 450ppm threshold.”***
A little bit about me:
My friends call me Block. Minnesota born & raised, I now live and work in New York City.
I am endlessly curious and eternally optimistic. I have a passion for new ideas, obsessed with all things technology, and am always seeking to broaden my perspective while striving for balance.
I am an open finance enthusiast, futurist, investor, entrepreneur, builder, advisor, life long learner, hockey player, traveler, podcast addict, hip-hop head, e-newsletter junkie, event planner, and comedic-short producer. Follow me on Twitter here and Instagram here.
“Find a question that makes the world interesting.” - Paul Graham
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