Dating as a Social Experiment

There used to be a time when the thought of sharing your personal life online would be mortifying. Nowadays, in an age of social media and dating websites, this is seen as an everyday activity. When I spotted the  ’40 Days of Dating’ project disguised as a gorgeous blog, I knew it would immediately appeal to me. It sees two successful Graphic designers based in New York record what happens when they toy with dating…each other.

Her – Jessica Walsh: A bold and daring gal, but also a self-confessed hopeless romantic who falls in love too easily with the wrong men. @jessicawalsh

Him – Timothy Goodman: A hip, trendy and caring guy who is a commitment-phobe and serial dater, resulting in him never settling down. @timothygoodman

The experiment had rules, described in this introduction video: www.fortydaysofdating.com/rules

The site itself is a designer’s delight! You can tell creative minds have been hard at work; you are dished up a combination of beautiful typography, quirky sketches and thought-provoking documentation of the day’s activity.

After day I was hooked. Even when old-school romancing seems to be dying out, Walsh and Goodman have spun online dating on its head, creating a presence through a digital diary while maintaining traditional foundations. Despite the fact they are using an online platform to document their dating experience they aren’t actually online dating, which becomes clear as you delve further into the story. They don’t even hold hands till Day 18!

It’s also fascinating to read Jessica and Tim’s contrasting accounts of the same days; one day Jessica feels close to Tim and he feels distant, the next she wants to quit and he wants to carry on. It gives great insight into miscommunication; misjudgement and the different thought processes between the pair.

As a singleton I know that being single in a big city, and in our industry, can be tough. Jessica and Tim ultimately proved this, as even with the best intentions in mind the plan didn’t quite pan out and Tim sadly called time on their “relationship”. I guess this proves that situations can’t be forced, no matter how perfect they may look on paper.

Overall a great idea, demonstrated with beautiful typography and sometimes almost voyeuristic videos. If you haven’t read the story I would highly recommend it… especially if you like a bit of a nosey into other people’s lives.

Words by – NJ

[Images courtesy of 40 days of Dating] онлайн займы займ на карту с открытой просрочкойзайм без трудоустройствазайм под залог недвижимости кемерово