Dating: What's the Point?

The whole point of dating is to discover more about not only another person but also yourself. It is a journey that is necessary for everyone because if we do not know ourselves, how can we possibly be able to care for another person during marriage? Although the anti-daters have a point, I strongly disagree with their belief that our method of dating is a "practice for divorce." Personally, I could never marry someone without having previous relationships before them because I need to explore my options and see what qualities I want in someone I hope to spend the rest of my life with. Also, a relationship with someone who is more than a friend permits people to grow spiritually and alter their views about the world through various experiences shared with the other person in the relationship. Hence, I agree with the views shared by Freitas and King because dating truly is a growth process based upon one's own views with the understanding that everyone is not going to have physical relationships with every person they meet. People just want to discover more about themselves and learn how to care for others. In regards to myself, my peers and I think the same way because we all have either began dating or we talk to significant others. We do not know who we will marry, but we have learned more about ourselves and what personalities we are compatible with through our experiences.

In 2012 many people fail to realize the consequences of hooking up because they are too focused about what is occurring right at a particular moment. The actions we make at one point can truly affect us in the long run. This is true with hooking up because although it has various interpretations, it can seriously damage potential relationships with friends. Additionally, girls prefer "real" relationships opposed to the spontaneous hook ups guys usually enjoy. Instead of committing to another person, guys, and sometimes girls, feel accomplished when they "get some" from a person who they really do not care about. Hooking up may seem fun in the moment, but this can ruin a future relationship because it is already based on physical pleasure before any emotional connections have set in. The views shared in the book are a stark contrast to the hook up culture prevalent in colleges now because people, such as Freitas and King, promote dating before marriage, but they also promote having an emotional connection and learning experience with the other person involved. I doubt they would condone hooking up just for pleasure or because everyone else is doing it because then the relationship would be going nowhere.