I watched an interesting show on The Learning Channel called Unfaithful...which deals with marital infidelity. It said that more than 50% of marriages end in divorce, and that adultery is involved in 65% of those divorces. It also stated that there is infidelity in 8 out of 10 marriages and that 68% of women surveyed say that they would cheat on their husbands if they knew that they wouldn't get caught.
Any thoughts on this?

All I can say is that I will do my best not to be a part of the problem. I will use the manners I was taught, even if others don't think they need to.

I have found online dating to be a reflection of the technologically advanced but increasingly cold world we live in. When we buy things online, or attempt to do business over the phone, we are treated like a number. The fact that we are human beings means nothing to the person or machine at the other end of the line. The same holds true for online dating. People often totally ignore a profile response, as if it weren't written by a human being. When someone responds to my profile, I always respond (barring obvious scams) even though the person may not be what I'm looking for. I explain to them why I am not interested, thank them for replying, and wish them luck in their search. I have received the same basic common courtesy from about 10% or less of the people whose profiles I responded to. The same holds true for most of the people I was corresponding with on a regular basis. They acted interested, them out of the blue, stopped writing. If I were to break off correspondence with someone, I would tell them as much in as nice a way as I can and wish them luck.
I can't help but wonder if this is all due to technology dehumanizing people, or if there's a breakdown of common courtesy in society, or both.

Quite Rightly So is one of my favorite Procol Harum songs, off their 1968 album Shine on Brightly.

I don't think being alone is such a bad thing. I've been alone for quite a while, and I at times wonder why I ever bothered getting on dating sites. I know that if I ever do meet someone and get involved (or should I say bogged down) in a relationship, I know that much will be required of me and quite possibly, very little will be given me in return. I don't see myself as cynical, but I am not naive enough to believe in fairytales. If the fairytales were true, then why do so many marriages end in divorce? Something deep inside me is telling me to count my blessings and be content with being alone.

Making fun of somebody's problems is sadistic and inexcuseable. Cracking a sarcastic joke can be funny at the right time, but doing it to rub someone else's suffering in their face shows very poor character. If the tables were turned on such people, they probably wouldn't be able to take it.

I agree that at times, a moderate amount of sarcasm can be funny, but when someone does it to be sadistic, or gets offended when the tables are turned on them, then it's a whole different matter. I am glad things didn't go any further with the second lady I mentioned. I can just imagine her reaction if I told her any bad news regarding my personal life. LOL! Too Funny! If I told her I was terminally ill and would be dead in a few days, she would say LMAO!
As for respect, it is something I highly regard, and firmly believe it to be a two-way street. Unfortunately, many people today demand it from others and refuse to reciprocate.

I have noticed in a great many profiles that the person lists sarcasm or a sarcastic sense of humor as if it was a major selling point. Forgive me if I'm old-fashioned, but I always believed that when someone wants to be in a relationship, it is for mutual edification, not to be raked over the coals. If I wanted that, I would attend a Don Rickles concert and sit front and center! I always equated excessive sarcasm with rudeness, but maybe today some people are turned on by it.
I admit I did communicate with a few women who listed sarcasm among their personal attributes. Both of them seemed to have enough redeeming qualities, so I decided to give them a shot. The first one was a very deep thinker capable of engaging in very intelligent conversation. When she was in a bad mood, the barbs were hurled my way with reckless abandon! One day, I decided to fire back with one of my own, and she became furious. She could dish it out, but couldn't take it. The second lady seemed far less moody. One day, she instant messaged me about a friend who treated her very badly, and she was greatly upset about it. I offered support and advice which she seemed very grateful for. Not long after, I told her of some problems I was having. Did she reciprocate the support I gave her? No! The response I got was "Too funny! lol!"
All I can say is that I am very grateful that I don't communicate with either of these snots anymore and I learned a valuable lesson about who to try to communicate with. When I see sarcasm in a profile, I keep moving along. Life is too short to put up with that.
I look forward to hearing YOUR stories of unpleasant people you may have dealt with on dating sites.

Thank you, Lex. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who tells it like it is! Thank you dodo, for your hilarious responses, but I'm not THAT bored! I agree with Lezzart about the fun of joining forums. Without them, there wouldn't be much to do on dating sites.
As for the part about psychos and moochers, in my three months on dating sites, I have run into al least one of each already. They're out there, and I'm not making it up. I could also care less how they got to be the way they are. Cry me a river!

I can't believe how boring online dating is becoming, at least for me. There are fewer and fewer new peple being added to sites in my area, and the profiles keep looking more and more alike. I am growing weary of people putting pictures on their profiles showing themselves and up to three other people, and expecting us to determine who the person is. The wording of the profiles is starting to sound alike, and if I'm not interested in a single mom of more than one child, someone living out in the boondocks expecting me to uproot and relocate, or a lady who drinks like a fish and expects me to do the same, I'm out of luck.
Maybe in some ways, I should count my blessings. At least I am not currently involved in a relationship with a psycho or moocher out to drain me dry. It seems like there are plenty of those around. For now, I guess I will remain patient and see what comes along.

If you are tired of "artists" like Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Katy Perry, and Rihanna (all of whom nauseate me with their lack of talent and immense egoes) try A Fine Frenzy, Amy MacDonald, Katie Melua, and Toby Lightman. Any one of them has more talent in her little finger than all the Lady Gagas and their ilk combined. I also know that Alison Sudol of A Fine Frenzy, Katie Melua, and Toby Lightman are down to earth and extremely fan friendly in addition to being mega-talented. I've met them.

I know there is a lot of garbage out there today, but a new band I have grown to love does not fall into that category: Florence and the Machine. Their album "Lungs" is a spectacular journey through a variety of genres: pop, ambient, progressive, even punk. The singing (of Florence Welch) as well as the songwriting, and instrumentation are spot on. Although there is not a bad song on the album, my personal favorites include "Dog Days are Over," "Kiss With a Fist," "Drumming Song," and "My Boy Builds Coffins." I strongly recommend this to anyone with a discerning taste in music.

Since I posted this thread, I have heard the good, the bad, and the ugly. I'm glad things worked out, buttons. As I said before, the road to a good match is paved with unsavory individuals and unpleasant experiences. I guess the miscreant I almost connected with will make me appreciate the good one I hope to meet somewhere down the road.

I wonder how many people are actually looking for dating and relationships on online dating sites. I know for a fact that there are scammers, game players, and all sorts of kooks. There are those that act interested and pull back on the last minute. Then there are those who seek to punish anyone and everyone for the sins of the last person who hurt them, as well as the ones who like to sit in the judgement seat and have fun rejecting all who show interest in them. Too bad that there wasn't some way to weed out all the scammers, schemers, and game players, leaving only those who are legitimately seeking a relationship with good intentions.

When it comes to the question of sanity, I must be a nut magnet, because my latest ex (not met online) was definitely not playing with a full deck. I have met quite a few nuts online now in the last few months and I fear that they must gravitate to me for some reason. I wish there was some way I could tell who the nuts are before I get involved with them. I guess even a nut can be manipulative enough to fool someone into thinking she is sane.

I have found that online dating is just like life and society in general. People are constantly trying to see what they can get away with and common courtesy is uncommon at best. There are scammers aplenty and quite a few flakes, weirdos, and wackos out there as well. One truly has to be careful and at the same time, never get discouraged. Sometimes I think I'm a glutton for punishment for trying online dating in the first place, however I cling to a small hope that it all pans out in the end.

The name used was Ssaara, but I doubt she will use it again. The broken English and aggressiveness raised red flags right away.

On another site, I was emailed out of the blue by a woman with seemingly poor English skills. Her profile showed a very attractive, slender caucasian woman with red hair, around 30. In her profile she described herself as a "chunky chick." She claimed to be looking for an average Joe. The first email I got from her said something like "I want talk to you" and that was it. I responded, asking a few questions. She replied again, asking to meet me and wanting my email address. She phrased it "I want meet your." I responded saying that we should communicate only via the site and I asked if she was from a foreign country. Then, when I checked my inbox and sent messages I found all of hers gone, and I never deleted them! I searched by username, and the profile was gone.
I hope this is helpful in case she tries out her scam on mingle2.

No, she's from another site.

I am grateful for the replies. What I once had a sinking suspicion about is now confirmed. Her latest email admits she lied to me, but she's still asking for money.