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Abstract

The document explores the paradox of 21st-century love, highlighting how dating apps have commodified intimacy and transformed genuine connections into transactional interactions. While these platforms promise convenience, they often lead to superficial relationships and a culture of indifference, undermining the depth of romance. The text calls for a reclamation of authentic love amidst the challenges posed by digital interactions and consumerism.

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Drishti Dutta
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26 views1 page

Abstract

The document explores the paradox of 21st-century love, highlighting how dating apps have commodified intimacy and transformed genuine connections into transactional interactions. While these platforms promise convenience, they often lead to superficial relationships and a culture of indifference, undermining the depth of romance. The text calls for a reclamation of authentic love amidst the challenges posed by digital interactions and consumerism.

Uploaded by

Drishti Dutta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

The Playground- An Interpretation of (En)Gendered Irregularities in 21th Century

Dating Apps

Love in the 21st century is a paradox - a fleeting connection that feels hollow and unfulfilling,
even if one believes that “no feeling is final.” What was once a transcendent force defying
utilitarian ideas of interdependence and survival has now been reduced to bodily autonomy
and carnal idealization, packaged into swipes and clicks. Modern romance has evolved
beyond the expectations of the past, embracing market-driven modernity, where love has
become a product. Dating apps like Tinder, Grindr, and Bumble promise convenience and
perfect matches, but in doing so, they strip intimacy of its depth and humanity, transforming
romance into a transactional affair. The result is a dichotomy: while these platforms liberate
users from the laborious pursuit of love, they simultaneously foster cycles of fleeting
connections and indifference.

Beneath the polished surface of dating apps lies a predatory ecosystem where users often
masquerade as genuine seekers of connection while harboring exploitative motives. Love,
intimacy, and even the fluidity of queerness have been commodified, reducing once-radical
expressions of identity into marketable labels. Sexual diversity, instead of being celebrated,
is often boxed and sold for mass consumption. This corruption mirrors the broader
commodification of intimacy, blurring the boundaries between genuine connection and
performative interaction. What makes this evolution tragic is the self-victimization it fosters -
users lured by the promise of choice and convenience often find themselves ensnared in a
culture of superficiality.

The creators of these platforms, initially celebrated for fostering inclusivity, now grapple with
accusations of enabling exclusion and harm. The symbolic decline of honesty and the
surreal detachment from genuine emotion have left modern love adrift, flickering
momentarily on screens but ultimately unfulfilling. The tragedy of digital romance lies not in
the absence of love but in its transformation into something unrecognizable. Yet, as with all
tragedies, there is potential for redemption—if we dare to reclaim the messy, imperfect, and
beautifully human essence of love. In this labyrinth of digital connections, the challenge is to
rediscover what it truly means to love and be loved in a world increasingly shaped by
algorithms and screens.

Keywords : Dating apps, victimization, consumerism, sexual diversity, subjugation

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