So I’m a 35 straight guy and recently I’ve been getting a more instant contacts from dating apps. Meaning as soon as they match with me they send me a message first. I have no issue with that other than it occasionally prevents me from being able to open with a funny pickup line or ice breaker. The issue here is that time and time again the conversation goes nowhere fast. I’m not sure if I just suck at conversation, or maybe they didn’t really want to talk after all, or maybe they’re the ones that suck at conversation. I feel like I’m doing my part to participate. I ask questions, acknowledge responses, ask follow up questions, and just generally try to stay engaged with the conversation but I’m frequently left with a reply that is something like “lol”, “yes”, “no”, “cool”, “not really”, or “That’s awesome”. That’s it, no remark or question or follow up of any sorts on their part. So naturally I assume they just don’t want to talk about that particular subject so I go back to the well and try another one to spark their interest. Again I’m meet with a dead end reply. I’m not randomly dipping into the well here either. I ask them questions like “what are you into” and those are the topics I try. I mean they said they are into them so they should enjoy talking about them, right? Still I’m met with dead end replies the majority of the time. So I shift gears and say well maybe they want to know what I think on the subject instead of talking about themselves. For instance if the topic is music and I’ve been hit with a few dead end replies then I will make a comment about what type of music I’ve been listening to lately with the (what I think to be) pretty obvious expectation of a follow up question from her so that I can talk about myself since by now its clear she’s not comfortable talking about herself. Still more dead end replies. How many of these dead end replies and conversation restarts do I go through before I just give up and move on? Am I the problem here? I have a very methodical approach starting conversations with new women that prior to my marriage (divorced now) was fairly successful I like to think but maybe it’s too clinical now? That being said, it’s not like I’m going after a younger woman. I know I’m only a shadow of what I was 15 years ago and that I should expect diminished returns but I never expected them to be this diminished.

5 comments
  1. >”what are you into”

    This is a question you ask on a date. Long convos over text is hard when you’re competing against 10 other guys all messaging at once.

    You should be trying to set up dates asap. Get them in front of you to have an actual conversation.

  2. It doesn’t sound like you’re doing anything wrong.

    You seem to be doing everything right that a reasonable well-adjusted person would do in carrying on a conversation, so don’t focus on that being an issue.

    I’d say the problem is on the other end.

    ​

    >I’m not sure if I just suck at conversation,

    DEFINITELY not!

    ​

    > or maybe they didn’t really want to talk after all,

    Possibly.

    ​

    >or maybe they’re the ones that suck at conversation.

    Extremely likely.

    The problem might be the dating apps themselves, and the absolutely atrocious social skills they breed.

    You’re probably better off ditching them and going back to the old-fashioned way of meeting people: in person.

  3. One forced restart is too many. If they’re not that interested in talking to you, they’re not that interested. You’re better off spending your time finding someone who is genuinely excited to talk to you. See Mark Manson’s *Fuck yeah or no*. Haha

  4. tbh dun think so much, I always send dry replies HAHAAHA. u can see the vibes and ask ur screening questions but just set up a date asap and u can screen them irl as well. I know u dun have time but ig just set aside one day in a week for dating and then pick someone you’ve been texting to ask out. if it dun work out u can ask someone else ur texting for the next week or something. texting is a difficult way to rly connect on a deep level imo

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