Why do people date?

To find out the true intentions of someone before you commit to a deeper more meaningful relationship.

to get to know potential mates. it’s an introductory phase. Sometimes people decide to mate very quickly, others it takes a while to be comfortable.

I see.

How on earth would you get to know someone without spending some time with them? How ever you choose to do that constitutes a date.

It always seemed too fraught, to me. I don’t think I have had more than two real dates in my entire life. By real, I mean where you ask someone out in a situation where they could say no.

But it seems like a kind of interview—much of the time—with people judging each other. Ick. I think that dates that happen after you’ve decide you can be a couple are probably better because you’re just doing shit together instead of doing shit to see someone’s failings.

Anyway, I can see the point, but I don’t think it’s a good way of reaching the goal.

It’s a way for people to get to know one another. I mean you can do this without dating, but people date because they want to be more exclusive. Maybe it’s like sharing things you couldn’t normally say on any type of superficial friend level?

Personally I don’t date people. I’m perfectly fine with learning about someone on a friendship type of level. I don’t need the title “dating” to help me open up with someone. I’m either going to tell you things or I’m not.

A date is to see if you have rapport with a person I think. I have never dated a person long. I either fairly quickly really like them and start spending most of my time with them, or stop seeing them. I guess it depends a little on how we are defining dating.

A good date is a wonderful exercise in mutual ego masturbation.

Also, I think back in history dating was strictly going out with someone for a dinner, or an event. It was ok to date multiple people, assuming there was no sex involved. Going out on these dates you were able to see who you felt most comfortable with, who you enjoyed spending your time with most, of the different people you were dating. But, I think the majority of people don’t date multiple people at once, don’t have many suitors so to speak.

It’s a nice opportunity to spend one on one time with a person you’re attacted to & a good way to get to know someone better. I think it’s quite romantic, but the dating scene where I’m from isn’t as big as it is in the states so it says something if a guy asks you out on an actual date :-)

In addition to what has been said, to eventually have sex.

People use to date when there were fewer ways for meaningful, personal interaction than there are now. Say, for instance, 1950s America, where societal norms limited the who people typically limited who one was “allowed” to hang out with, i.e. girls spending time only with girls, boys with boys. Boys would ask girls out on a date so they would have a socially allowable excuse for them to get to know each other. Now, most western cultures don’t have the same pressures still limiting this kind of interaction, so everyone knows each other to a greater extent than before, thus obsoleting dating in many respects.

It’s fun and so is having a companion and so is making friends? Sex is also fun.

To learn more about a person and to create some history together.

For companionship and sex, and to find a potential mate. I think most humans are hard-wired for reproduction – even those who choose not to have children biologically or are in same-sex relationships that don’t allow for biological reproduction involving both partners instinctually seek a partner. (In most cases, of course.)

Why shouldn’t people have like, one date and then marry?

dating is for FUN, to see if ANYthing is in common, or was just superficial geez you’re good looking type of crap