In this modern era the taboos traditionally associated with casual sex and one night stands no longer seem to apply. As people lead ever increasingly complex and busy lives the time available to devote to a loving relationship has become increasingly difficult. The demands on people to earn money have grown increasingly demanding as the price of living has risen significantly in recent decades.

Traditionally people would have spent time in their local pub or nightclub socialising with friends and building a network of contacts which inevitably would have enabled them to form friendships and romance within that social group. However in recent times those traditions are no longer fashionable and people tend to spend more time socialising in their own home. Clearly this has made it more difficult to build on that social network and has left people with a limited resource to identify suitable individuals to build relationships with.

It is hardly surprising that as people fundamentally need to be in groups that they have identified alternative ways to establish social networks. A fundamental human requirement is to be needed, it’s a basic human attribute and one which we cannot live without. If evidence was needed of this just spend some time looking through MySpace and Facebook. People often brag of having hundreds of friends , when clearly it is plainly apparent that they don’t know half of the people within their social network!

It is this fundamental need that has led to the rising success of online dating. And it should come as no surprise that the leaders in this success have been those associated with casual relationships. These have simply replaced the function of going to the pub or nightclub and meeting potential suitors.Let us not forget that one night stands have been around for many years and is simply the changing socio-economic situation that has led to people seeking alternative methods to continue what has been naturally conducted for hundreds of years.