Swipe Right ?

Tinder is based off a geographical system where the distance between you and your potential match is key. Your own preconceived notions on how accessible your match should be - whether for ice-cream or hanky-panky - let you to create a map of your potential swipe-rights'. It’s this feature that allows you to get a feel for the community flows you live in (Van Luyn, 2015).

(Oakey, 2015)

The concept of a flaneur is very much alive on Tinder - myself being a part of the category. Tinder’s easy-peasy flick-and-scroll system makes it simple for you to get lost in a swipe and scan trance, drifting through cyber-space much like an ambler at an Arcade in 19^th century Paris. Again, for those plebeians who have no idea what this ‘flaneur’ word means, here you go: flaneur.

Richard Prouty, an author for the blog site One-WayStreet created a post regarding the flaneur in 19^th century Paris, attributing to the ‘Arcades Project’ by German literary critic, WalterBenjamin. In his post he outlined a scenario where the flaneur in question leashed a turtle and walked it through the arcade as a personal publicity stunt, (Prouty, 2009). Since joining the Tinder community, I’ve come across many different kinds of such ‘turtles’.

Tinder only allows a small description box and a maximum of 6 pictures along with the obligatory name, age and distance. This makes swipe competition fierce as users try to grab the attention of the Tinder flaneurs just flicking through the process, such as:

• Dressing up in costumes,
• Making jokes in the description box, and
• Creating false yet humorous anecdotes.

Just in case you can't imagine what any of this entails, here's and example or you:

(King, 2015)

Join me again next week, ladies and gents, to delve further into the hidden depths of the modern cupid, Tinder.

References:

Oakey, B. (2015, March 30). Where Are You From: Why Mapping Your Roots is the New Tinder [Online forum comment] [Online forum comment]. Retrieved August 19, 2015, from http://www.millennialmormons.com/where-are-you-from-why-mapping-your-roots-is-the-new-tinder/

Prouty, R. (2009, October 28). Turtle On a Leash [Web log message] [Web log message]. Retrieved August 18, 2015, from http://www.onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/2009/10/a-turtle-on-a-leash.html

Van Luyn, A. (2015). BA1002: Space: Networks, Narratives, and the Making of Place, week 4 notes. Retrieved August 19, 2015, from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/execute/content/file?cmd=view&content_id=_1992266_1&course_id=_69740_1