00:00Kangana Ranaut called dating apps gutter of society.
00:04Speaking in a podcast, she said only losers use them.
00:08She was talking about relationships and Gen Z when she made these controversial remarks.
00:12On being asked if she's ever thought of trying the Gen Z ways of finding love, she insisted
00:17that dating app users seek validation, they lack confidence and they're essentially bypassing
00:23meaningful relationships in favour of swipes that she called were cheap.
00:27Besides this remark being classic Kangana, is there a curdle of truth in what she said?
00:31Today, over 370 million people worldwide are using these apps.
00:35In India alone, the market is already worth $500 million and growing fast.
00:39Tinder, Bumble and Hinge have replaced family setups with swipes and algorithms.
00:44But it's not all chocolates and roses.
00:46Research shows dating app fatigue is real.
00:49A 2023 study found that more than half of users feel burnt out and many report experiences
00:54of ghosting, catfishing or harassment.
00:57There's also a cultural shift.
00:59Sociologists point out that dating apps are reshaping ideas of commitment and compatibility.
01:05Stanford researchers found that nearly 40% of heterosexual couples now meet online.
01:10But they also noted a rise in short term, less committed relationships compared to couples
01:15who met through friends or family.
01:17In other words, what this means is, the way people meet is shaping how long they stay together.
01:22Why?
01:23Because too much choice can sometimes backfire, as we all know.
01:26A nature human behaviour study found that when people face hundreds of profiles, they
01:31second guess, worry about better options and end up less satisfied.
01:34It is the classic paradox of choice, like scrolling Netflix for an hour only to rewatch friends.
01:40In India also, users often describe dating as shopping.
01:43Swipe fatigue is real.
01:45Yet, apps have also opened doors for LGBTQ plus communities and for people in smaller towns
01:50where traditional dating barely exists.
01:53Love has become more accessible but also more fragile.
01:57So while Kangana calls it a gutter, for millions, dating apps have reshaped modern relationships
02:02in ways too big to ignore.
02:04What do you think?
02:05Tell us in the comments and for more no-fluff explainers like this one, follow our channel.
02:09I'm Manisha Dikari.
02:10Thank you for watching The Culture Project or more.
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