Relationships Are Out & Explorationships Are In, Says Gen Z
Gen Z are turning their backs on traditional relationships and prioritizing other ways of finding connections.
Ground Picture | Shutterstock When it comes to dating, Gen Z might have it worst out of all other generations, especially those that came before us. Gone are the days when you'd be able to meet someone at a bar or a grocery store or go for a walk in the park, at least for Gen Zers. Now, in the age of modern dating, it's all about connecting with potential partners on dating apps or on social media.
There's such a huge disconnect for Gen Z adults and romantic love. Young people are choosing to prioritize platonic love, and the dating scene makes it that much easier to do so. It's not just dating apps, but the lack of emotional maturity and intelligence between both young men and young women. However, a recent survey conducted by the explorationship app, Flure, found that Gen Z is continuing to redefine relationships.
Gen Z is looking for explorationships, not relationships.
Flure's survey revealed that 51% of Gen Z respondents admitted that traditional dating is an outdated concept, while 61% said Gen Z will redefine relationships to become less restrictive. It's gotten to the point where 42% of Gen Z respondents claimed that they prefer connections with no labels.
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Instead, Gen Z adults would rather prioritize meeting new people, exploring connections, and seeing where it goes from there. Flure defined this phenomenon as an "explorationship." Of course, this reluctance to define relationships and put labels on things might be part of the problem for Gen Z adults and dating.
So many have complained that it's hard to find a genuine connection in this dating landscape because of the number of people out there who refuse to define their relationship status. Gen Z has been incredibly vocal online about their fear of being vulnerable. They preach that it's "embarrassing" to have a crush and that they would rather do anything else than admit to someone else about how they're feeling.
Gen Z is turning their backs on dating apps.
Flure's survey found that 70% of Gen Zers find dating apps to be "lame," and only 6% of them want them to stay the way they are. Four in 10 claimed that they were tired of the endless swiping, while 1 in 6 said that the pressure to define what they want upfront is their biggest pet peeve.
Similarly, in Hinge's 2024 D.A.T.E. (Data, Advice, Trends, and Expertise) report, many Gen Z daters cite fear of rejection and being cringe amongst their top concerns. Frankly, dating apps are losing their sparkle amongst younger generations, especially for straight women. A lot of Gen Z women find it exhausting to have to sift through profiles of men only to end up disappointed in the end because of how emotionally immature they seem to be.
The same could be said for Gen Z men as well. All in all, it seems we might be living in a world where both men and women of this generation are choosing not to be in tune with their emotions and vulnerability.
Dating apps might be extinct within the next five years.
In an interview with Flure, psychologist Leah Levi predicted that dating apps might cease to exist within the next couple of years. "Just 20 years ago, dating apps didn't even exist — and using a 'dating website' was seen as lame, something for people who couldn't get lucky IRL," Levi said.
She continued, "We've come full circle: what was once the go-to for making a connection is now something many actively avoid. I believe that dating apps, as we know them, will disappear within five years — replaced by more human, real-life ways to meet, like parties, bars, or digital spaces that mimic them."
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Levi insisted that once dating apps are no longer, younger people won't have to spend their time swiping and worrying about getting matches. Frankly, dating apps being one of the only ways that we're able to connect with others is quite exhausting. Dating apps don't fully represent a person's entire identity and personality. It's all trial and error.
After spending a couple of months getting to know someone on a dating app, that's usually when you start to see the red flags or the parts of their personality that you might not necessarily want in a partner. Then, you are forced to go right back to the dating apps and start again. It's why love and relationships have become such a disillusioned concept for Gen Zers; we truly have zero luck finding that romantic spark.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
