Has social media ruined the coffee shop romance?

It was reported this year that one in three relationships (however brief or anonymous) started online. With the dawning age of social media upon us, is the gay community facing a challenging new crossroads? In just a few years will it even be possible to meet a soulmate outside the confines of the social network? Will the members of our community be socially competent enough to engage in just the first steps of starting a relationship apart from the online dating world?
When sending a digital message over a social dating forum you have a sense of detachment and safety knowing that there are little to no public consequences of rejection. In the real world when presented with a situation that requires you to approach another guy and break the initial, sometimes mortifying fear of instant public rejection, one is often hesitant to even glance in their direction. The barrier the internet provides between you and your fear of rejection is easy to succumb to. However, this disconnect from actual reality may have detrimental effects on a person's natural level of confidence. Relying heavily on social media as the potential catalyst for a relationship makes you less confident in your own ability to not only introduce yourself to another guy, but also to carry on a legitimate conversation and future relationship goals you might have (if it even gets that far with someone you've met online).


So you're sitting in Starbucks one afternoon and you notice the guy across the room taking brief glimpses in your direction. You make eye contact once or twice. Does it end here? Well that's up to you. Chances are he is just as afraid of rejection as the next guy, so the ball is in your court. What do you do? Try making extended eye contact a few moments past the point of comfort. Once the contact is broken look down and maybe look back to see if he's still looking, if so smile. Chances are you won't be able to make him come to you. You'll have to go to him. The proverbial frog must go to the fly in this situation. Walk over and ask to sit with him. If he says he'd rather not then oh well, water under the bridge, you never have to see him again. If he agrees then look at that, you have the opportunity to meet someone new. There is nothing to lose in this situation, and remember if he's looking he's probably interested.

Be this as it may, there are a few valid concepts about online dating that should be mentioned. There is no other place save online dating websites where you can instantly weed out dozens of guys who would not be compatible with you simply by viewing their profile. This notion allows you to find a guy who may seem to compliment you perfectly, but what must be taken into account is the other guy's perception of himself. Does his profile reflect who he truly is, or who he thinks he is. It's really impossible to tell. 
However you see it, it's crucial to realize the importance of pure, one-on-one interaction, and the ways it can build confidence.