|
I think the term dating is used too loosely. It seems to have different meanings in different contexts as well:
To be currently dating. (As in dating people in general.)
Going on a date. (The act of actually going out with someone.)
And dating someone. (Seeing only one person.)
The last one, I think, is where the meaning of dating can get fuzzy. You could say dating as in you're just currently seeing each other frequently, like going on dates, or actually dating them, as in you're together.
I think dating one or two or even three people (like Dancingdoc said), will only lead to complications. It seems too much like multi-tasking to me. Thats not the way to learn commitment either. Maybe some people here (those who don't believe in exclusive relationships until thinking about marraige etc etc) might think it inappropriate for me to have this opinion, but being 18 and having a boyfriend, I would not be happy to find out that while being with me, he was also seeing one or two other girls.
And how can you, by just dating people over a period of time, pick one you want to marry? Sure, dating is the process of getting to know someone, but I don't think that until you are in a more serious, exclusive, relationship with that person can you really understand the innerworkings of their personalities and fall in love. Just going on dates with someone won't lead to truly loving someone for who they are and deciding you are ready to settle down with them and marry them. I, for one, am not ready for marriage and haven't been with my boyfriend long enough to establish a real serious relationship, but I'm not about to see other people while we consider each other our significant other.
|