There’s a critical moment in the dating process where you express interest in someone without knowing if they like you back yet—that high-risk moment where you throw it all on the line to say, “I like you more than a friend,” and see if they return that.

If they do, it’s the best thing ever.

If they don’t, it feels like rejection.

Dating apps are designed to skip over that uncomfortable bit, and that’s why they’re so fucking popular.

They’ve replaced expressing attraction and taking the risk of rejection with a gamification sequence that leapfrogs over that potential discomfort.

Unfortunately, that significant moment is critical when it comes to building a relationship with someone and creating a connection. That’s the spark—that’s the bit you remember, where you went from nothing to something.

That’s the thing that starts it all.

You’re replacing it with a machine, which means you’re replacing connection with an online substitution so that you don’t ever have to be afraid.

This is the real reason you use apps: you’re a coward.

To dive deeper into this topic, check out the original video here: