Let’s think about dating for a moment. Not just hooking up, I mean actual dating–specifically, the first date. You meet someone, there’s an apparent mutual attraction, so the two of you agree to go someplace and do something together. Whatever event you agree on is just a pretext for the two of you to interact in order to get to know each other better.
Here’s my opinion on what makes for a good first date, based on my own experiences:
The First Date Should Be Fun
You want to pick something lighthearted. Good pick: The county fair. Bad pick: All-day passes to The Museum of Human Rights Abuses.
The First Date Should Be on Equal Ground
To keep both parties at ease, ideally neither of you would have “home court advantage” or be in a venue where one of you is outnumbered by the other’s peers and/or specialty. In other words, if your date has climbed Everest and you have trouble climbing stairs, going bouldering with her and four of her expert friends is probably a lousy idea that will wind up with you being choppered out of the canyon.
The First Date Should Provide Ample Opportunity to Interact
A movie or lecture might sound like a good idea, but only if they’re short enough that you then have time to chew the fat about what you just saw. Otherwise you’re spending two to three hours sitting right next to someone that you can’t talk to, which sets up a weird vibe. (On the plus side, it might be funny to go “SHHHHH” anytime your date tries to say something.)
The First Date May Require Lubrication
Some of us have nerves that need to be settled, which is why some of us choose locales that serve booze. Admittedly, restraint must be exercised; kicking the evening off with a double Kamikaze might be overkill.
So, those are my picks. What are yours?
In any case, the producers of a new web series called “Virtually Dating” are betting that VR makes for the perfect first date event. If I go by my little checklist above, it does indeed tick the boxes: It’s fun if you don’t throw up, both of you are equally off-balance, there’s nothing to do but interact with each other, and the novelty provides the lubrication.
So, here’s what it looks like:
Would I ever do this? Hell no. Never mind that they haven’t worked out the technical kinks, but I get motion sick pretty easily.
Would you?
This article was originally published by Core77.