Gettin’ Catfished: The New Unfortunate Blind Date

A voice brightens a day. A text sent from just one person can make a dreary day shiny again. Just imaging someone’s arms holding puts a smile on a face. Yet, there’s not a face for the voice. There’s not a name (a REAL name) from the text messages, and there’s no one behind someone holding them. Where is the love? Or rather, who is the love? A lot of people have no idea! The real question is: Is love defined by what the heart wants, or how far the heart is from the other?
         Catfish is one of the most talked about shows that MTV has aired, and it’s not because of the handsome host (Nev)! Catfish follows a guy named Nev and his film buddy Max around the United States helping people pretty much get the courage to meet the person who they have fallen for, in person. A lot of the people never have seen these people in person; they can never video chat with the person for “unspecific reasons”. Some of the people that have been “the real person” makes anyone scared of talking to a stranger. Who are these people really?
The people from both sides usually have strong feelings for one another, but are both sides being completely honest about who they are? Or are these people making up a story to please the other? With dozens of people being seen falling in love, being proposed to, receiving hundreds and thousands of dollars from people they have never met, one wonders why people would EVER consider online dating! But is it truly that bad? Is it a little bit exciting to not know who the person is who is whispering sweet nothings late at night?
“It’s a variety of both. There is that chance to get to know several individuals at once, and a chance to meet new people. At this age, it would be fun!” Candace Hastings, Educational major, says. “There is also the emotional safety that is involved. The opportunity to converse without having an in person emotional attachment. As well as time being a factor. There’s no rush to get to know this person. There’s a lot more freedom.”
“A real relationship is better!” Karin Moliere, accountant major, says. “There’s nothing like being face-to-face with someone. How can you get to know someone over the computer, a text? Especially when you’re not live chatting!”
For online dating, these seems to be a lot more lee-way for the relationship. The person does not need to be in their face 24/7, bothering them, and it’s not so restricted. It seems that the people who decide to do online dating are not as pressured to spend quality time with one another, and even have more understanding for busy schedules and late night phone calls.
         However, in person dating is quite beneficial as well. Having that person to connect with on a personal level, to have that one-on-one time is always a good thing for any relationship. To fulfill those physical needs is a plus! As well as actually SEEING the person is a plus!
The show reflects years and years of some people’s hope that never died until they meet some of the people, and realize that they were played on national television. For some, that would leave an awful burn! But for a lot of these hopeful, hopelessly romantic young people, they still keep going, and some even remain the feelings that they once had for the people who “catfished” them.