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CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF
THE FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD KIND
Copyright (c) 1996-2003 by William Karl Thomas
A society is a collection of persons who have met and know one another, but meeting new people is challenging for many. Understanding the options available to meet new people is a good first step to employing those options.
There are three principal ways we meet people in todays world. Let's start with social encounters of the first kind, the face to face meeting. This is the original means of introduction before the age of postal systems and telephones and mass communication.
Cave men and women used to stumble upon each other accidentally. Fearful and wary, they would size the other up physically, check their avenue of escape, and, if interested, grunt a few lines for openers. Things haven't changed much in singles bars 50,000 years later.
For those primarily seeking a physical image and who have such physical assets themselves, this is a viable means of racking up one night stands. But for those seeking other dimensions in a relationship and who have the patience and willingness to put a little further effort into the search process, there are better options.
Social encounters of the second kind exploits the modern means of mass communications; i.e. singles ads. This is a preliminary screening process that minimizes the fear and wariness of stalking or being stalked like prey in the jungle of singles bars and other types of social gatherings where strangers meet.
The opportunity to see past the physical facade into the mind of another, as expressed by their written word or phone conversation, can save us the painful and embarrassing need to reject unworthy candidates from our company or, worse, our beds the next morning. People often have the courage to say in print or over the phone what they're too embarrassed to say to your face, allowing you to assess their hidden assets and liabilities far better than when they're standing before you counting on their face, figure, and fancy clothes to attract you.
And then there are social encounters of the third kind, employing a professional intermediary who has already done the screening for you and provided you a select choice of candidates who at least partly fulfill your expectations, as you do theirs. This intermediary has usually collected extensive information about these candidates, hopefully met them face to face (or voice to voice) to verify at least some of their claims, and paired them with you through the aid of a computer database of many other people.
Todays dating and introductory services are a quantum leap in the thousands year old tradition of matchmaking. With the aid of mass media and mass communications, most of todays dating/introductory services can reach thousands of people for you, screen them into specialized categories, and provide you with the select few that you can chose to meet or pass on without embarrassment.
When you join D.A.W.N., you are joining more than a dating service that relys on a computer to match you with others. D.A.W.N. is a true introductory service where the same person who interviewed you has interviewed every referral that will be sent to you, and based that match on personal and intuitive factors no computer can duplicate. Joining D.A.W.N. is like going to a party with over 1000 people who you know are interested in meeting someone and who probably know better than most where you are coming from as a disabled person. So, if you believe life is a cabaret, old chum, then come to the party and enjoy close encounters of the third kind by joining D.A.W.N.
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