When Shallow Turns Deep
Okay, here we go. Our first article in the Fridays category. This is the category where we take deep dives or go shallow. The following article was intended to be in the shallow end, but ended up in the deep. The "occupation" in question is not really a career. It can be a pastime or a way to boost your ego for a brief moment, but it can also potentially get you the love of your life. What we are talking about is the pick-up artist at the bar.
For a long time, this "occupation" has been down and out. Eager Casanovas or Casanovettes (we are not sure if that's a word) have been having a field day, or rather a field decade, using the apps to hone their pick-up skills and get their validation and gratification needs fulfilled. In the comfort of their apartments, cars, bathrooms etc., they have been able to create the dream version of themselves.
Pretending to be successful and socially competent while hiding behind filtered pictures taken in a car, or from that one epic vacation that happened to be five years ago (time flies, but you kind of look the same, and if you eventually meet in real life, your date hopefully won't notice that you have gained a few pounds or lost some hair). Everything is allowed in love and war, right?
However, as people are getting tired of social media, dating apps, and addictive algorithms, they are increasingly looking to something different. The desperation in some people is so high that they are even switching from smart to "dumb" phones, where they can't download anything.
The Hero Enters: Real Life
The solution to get away from the web of the apps? No points for guessing; it's real life. Meeting people at cafes, at campus, at work, and yes, at bars.
However, there might be a slight problem: the bulk of an entire generation might have no clue how to do this. We're talking about people in their 20s and early 30s who have literally never approached someone without the safety net of a mutual "match" first. Their parents met at bars, concerts, and through friends. Their grandparents probably met at a dance. But them? Many have been swiping since they were 18.
There are also the single 40-50-60 year olds, who for the last decade have been turning on the apps, sometimes even before their partner has moved out. There is potentially some app exhaustion, and some real-life (re)training needed for this group as well.
Moving Away From The Shallow Swipe
This comeback isn't just about dating. People are not just learning to pick people up at bars; they're learning to exist in social spaces without a digital driver assist. You have to read body language instead of emoji reactions all by yourself, and you have to handle awkward silences instead of just unmatching.
The pick-up artist at the bar in 2025 isn't the sleazy guy with too much cologne and a repertoire of magic tricks. It's someone courageously attempting what past generations have been doing: talking to a stranger, in person, with romantic intent, without any algorithm to confirm mutual interest first. In this era, the main difference might be that women increasingly are the ones striking up conversations and trying out some new pick-up lines.
It might be terrifying. It might be time-consuming. You actually have to leave your living room to make something happen. It's probably going to lead to a lot of awkward encounters and bruised egos. However, these can be exciting times in the most authentic way possible.