Valentine’s Day is usually seen as a day for the couples, the romantics, and the folks who are in love. But it seems more like Valentine’s Day 2014 is for the lovelorn and the currently single. Popular dating app Tinder even took home the “Best New Startup” award at this week’s Crunchies, an awards show honoring the best in the tech industry. Once thought to be an app just for the young, Tinder has seen their user base expand from being 90 percent in the 18-24 year-old demographic when they started, to only half of Tinderers being of the young-twenty-something persuasion now.
From quizzes, to twitter trends, Google’s doodle, and corporate promotions, Valentine’s Day this year seems to be as much a day about being in love as it is the timeless question… What is Love?
Buzzfeed, the online chronicler of human desires, isn’t just celebrating singleness, it’s downright advocating the down-with-love sentiment:
Brands were all over it – the branding, that is. Yet, they don’t seem to be encouraging much outside of playing with food…
Psssstttt, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. We know what we’re planning. http://t.co/vOIvqHwQ7L pic.twitter.com/rTS80sJ3Wj
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) February 14, 2014
Pancake love means never having to say you’re hungry.
— IHOP (@IHOP) February 13, 2014
… Literally:
Your kids will love this #Valentines #HERSHEYSHUGS & KISSES Chocolate Checkers game! http://t.co/5Qfeg17kpH pic.twitter.com/RTLMlHwKgs
— HERSHEY’S KISSES (@HersheysKisses) February 12, 2014
Harvard Business Review took a dire look at how finding love is like a marketplace (as if singles needed to be reminded?).
“Creative” e-cards that don’t seem to inspire affection are popping up everywhere.
Vanity Fair even put together this list of valentines from TV villains.
And take a look at these uninspiring, but hilarious, valentines for singles:
Dating apps tell you to just get yourself out there…
Don’t let Valentines Day’s proximity discourage you, put yourself out there and make it your goal to find that special someone in time!
— OkCupid (@okcupid) February 10, 2014
…even though just 5 percent of Americans in a committed relationship say they met their significant other online (Pew Research).
The trending Valentine’s Day related hashtags on Twitter are quite unromantic:
#HarsherLoveSongs:
I just met you and this is crazy. Here’s a restraining order, sign it maybe? #HarsherLoveSongs
— James M-Theory (@JamesMinock) February 14, 2014
#FedValentines:
Violets are blue,
Chocolates are pleasing,
The best we could do
Was quantitative easing.
#FedValentines @MarketplaceAPM
— Harlan Kadish (@MathMusicMole) February 14, 2014
#RejectedCandyHearts:
#rejectedcandyhearts pic.twitter.com/mcKFIHcwZW
— Nintendo Glass (@amanicdroid) February 12, 2014
And then Pope Francis urged young people to get married:
Dear young people, don’t be afraid to marry. A faithful and fruitful marriage will bring you happiness.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) February 14, 2014
Policy wonks are writing pieces on “how to save marriage,” which should encourage concern in any person looking to get married for the first time (or again).
Finally, no one really knows if St. Valentine himself was married. There is little written about him in his lifetime, outside of reports of his acts to marry others.
So whether you’re looking for love, or doing just fine all by yourself, Valentine’s Day 2014 seems to be for the unattached. Here’s to you, single people: reclaiming Valentine’s Day one hashtag at a time.
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