Look, my parents met at work and stayed together for 35 years. I've been on five different apps for three years and had exactly two relationships that lasted more than three months. Draw your own conclusions about whether swiping culture is compatible with actual commitment.

Better and worse simultaneously, which is probably the most boring answer but also the most honest one. Apps democratize dating and eliminate some gatekeeping, which is great. But they also enable ghosting, encourage superficiality, and make rejection feel impersonal. We've gained convenience and lost something ineffable about how humans used to connect.

Dating apps are objectively worse because they've turned human connection into a gamified shopping experience. We swipe through people like we're browsing Amazon, and nobody wants to invest in getting to know someone when there's always someone 'better' one swipe away. The paradox of choice is real - I've watched friends stay perpetually single because they're too busy optimizing their matches.

Apps are fantastic if you're intentional about using them - they've improved access to dating for LGBTQ+ folks, people with disabilities, and folks in rural areas who'd otherwise have zero options. The technology itself is neutral; it's the culture around it that can feel disposable sometimes.

Honestly, they're a game-changer for people like me who work 60-hour weeks and have social anxiety. Before apps, I'd never have met my girlfriend - I wouldn't have been in the bars or social circles where people typically meet. Yeah, there's a lot of garbage to wade through, but at least I have a shot now.

The real problem isn't the apps - it's that people use them wrong. Everyone's treating it like a highlight reel instead of being genuine. I've had way more meaningful conversations with people who just wrote 'ask me anything' than with people who crafted the perfect bio. The apps didn't ruin dating; we did.