Internet Dating, Revisited

I've seen so many commercials for internet dating websites it makes me wonder if everyone is a hermit these days.  Does anyone even leave the house any more?
If you want a new book or CD you can order it on the internet and have it shipped to your house.  There are plenty of internet stores that will gladly provide you clothing and shoes.  You can even have your groceries delivered!
As I've mentioned before, I've experimented with the sociological aspects of internet dating, mostly out of curiosity and somewhat out of boredom.  After all, a man can only browse the Musician's Friend website for so long.
So after completing my little experiment, I felt I had really come to a disturbing conclusion -- society is in trouble, man!  Our social fabric is unraveling!
Even my brief time on a dating website, and for purely social research reasons at that, troubles me.  It troubles me that the commercials on TV apparently got to me.  It troubles me that I even signed up.  Research or not, or even as a passing fancy (although telling myself "it was purely for research purposes" does make me fell a bit better about it), I'm not going to say "I never thought I would find myself on a dating website" because that's what everyone thinks. 
Really, who sets out on their path to dating bliss by thinking, "I'm definitely going to start looking on the internet first"?  Frankly, it's unnatural to find a date on the internet.  The internet is for illegally downloading music and buying blu-rays of Smallville and How I Met Your Mother.  Speaking of, that show would be totally lame if at the very end he said, "And we met on the internet.  And that's how I met your mother."
Instead I should be meeting my soul mate at church.  Or through a mutual friend.  Or at the grocery store when I happen to bump into someone, knock the cantaloupes out of her hands and, trying to be helpful, say, "Let me grab your melons."  Yeah, something funny, charming and embarrassingly memorable like that.
But it seems social interaction, actual face to face, interpersonal social interaction, is a relic of a paradoxically less connected time.  A time when telephones were plugged into a wall and typewriters and white-out were a modern convenience.  A time when you actually, physically visited your friends to learn what was new in their lives.  Aside from internet dating's aforementioned propensity to pander to people's superficiality, it seems as a society our sense of community is eroding.  What are people so busy doing these days they can't make time for a church function or a community picnic at the park? 
Probably spending hours in front of a computer browsing a dating website.

The Set Up

I'm not entirely opposed to being set up.  It's just that sometimes it seems like a threat.
"I've got this great friend!  She's really pretty and her personality is awesome!" 
That may be true.  Apparently her personality is not quite awesome enough, however, to allow her to consider dating beneath herself in the looks department. 
Maybe my experiences are aberrative, but it the specter of being set up with a friend's single friend more often than not makes me hesitant to go along with such matchmaking experiments.  I've been approached by well intentioned friends to be set up with their single, well intentioned friends on a few occasions, and each time I have been disappointed.  Or been the disappointer. Regardless, disappointment was present and, much like every socialist society the world over, in the end only misery was shared equally.
I'll be approached with the idea, to which I will ultimately agree. Ever the optimist, perhaps this time will be different. What have I got to lose, right?
"I've got this great friend I'd like to set you up with."
"Okay, let's do it."
Typically that will be the end of it and I will never hear of it again, at least until another single, seemingly "set up" worthy friend comes along.  I can only imagine that my well intentioned friend was met with a stern "No" or even resounding laughter. 
Recently, after months of attempted convincing, and apparently being talked up to nearly epic proportions, I allowed my friend to show her friend a picture.  And that was the end of that.  I imagine there was an even sterner "No" and perhaps some weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Dignity.  That's what I've got to lose.  Dignity replaced with fear and loathing.
It's not always so depressing, though, hence my still dimly flickering sense of optimism.  One time I actually met my friend's friend. 
"It will be great," he said.  "She wants to meet for lunch.  She's really excited about it."
So we had lunch.  Well, my friend's friend and I had lunch, along with a friend of hers, and my friend.
But wait, I thought, this could turn out well.  She will see that I have friends who enjoy my company and will enjoy my witty banter in a dynamic social situation.  She will find my ease in such a situation admirable and sharp sense of humor attractive, which will compensate for my lack of actual, physical attractiveness.  After all, isn't that how comedians do it?
The four of us had a wonderful time talking, laughing, and really connecting in friendship and more.  I felt a strong sense of attraction.  My friend's friend was really excited about it.  She enjoyed the witty banter and humorous conversation.  Except I don't think it worked out quite as my friend planned.  You see, the lovely girl he set me up with kind of liked him.  Very much. 
Oh, yeah, he's married.
On the plus side, he hasn't threatened to set me up with one of his friends since then.  Plus his wife was pretty upset with him, which was funny for me.
So is there a solution to the "Set Up" conundrum?  I don't know.  Will I allow my friends to continue to try to set me up with their single friends?  Probably.  Preferably without an audience.