Remember the days when you were back at school and it was a massive controversy if you dated someone a few years below you? Even now, you probably have a few friends or relatives that make a big deal if you date someone who wasn’t at least in education at the same time as you. But what exactly does it matter? FreeAndSingle takes a look at whether age gaps really matter when it comes to online dating, to settle this question once and for all.
The Pros and Cons
It’s very easy to add up the cons when you think about big age differences in relationships. Many people assume that if you date someone a decade older or younger than you, then you’ll have nothing in common, your partner will be immature or old and boring, and one will outlive the other. But when you think about the many reasons that people get together in the first place, the fact that they are the same age doesn’t usually rank high in priorities, does it?
When looking for a partner, most people are searching for someone who makes them laugh and shares their interests – someone who excites them for a change. Online dating is a great example of this, as it shows how many people have failed to find love or friendship within the group of people than they might traditionally socialise with. With free dating online, sure you might check out their profile picture and age, but the emphasis is more on where you’re located, what hobbies you have, and if you make a connection when you start chatting. Surely you can’t put an age on chemistry?
Besides, free dating doesn’t automatically lead to marriage and kids, and the whole emphasis of meeting new people online is to refresh your love life and enjoy exciting new encounters. So giving someone older or younger than you a shot doesn’t sign your life away with them…. Unless you eventually decide they’re the one!
Celebrity Relationships With Big Age Gaps
When you look at the celebrity world, it seems that they don’t care in the slightest about this ‘age old’ problem. Bradley Cooper and Suzi Waterhouse have a 17 year age gap, and that is by no means the biggest in Hollywood. Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas are 25 years apart, having been married for a massive 12 years. Their relationship is surely testament to that fact that you don’t need to have watched the same cartoon programs as a kid to connect. Besides, you could easily argue that having a different background and outlook on life can enrich a relationship and keep you both grounded.
We’re not saying that age is irrelevant, as it does to a certain extent define who we are. But when you’re looking to meet local singles online who share your interests and give you a new outlook on life, why should a few years get in the way of your fun?
Photo Credit: Brian Walter