Why is online dating so dissapointing, so discouraging

Ahh. The online dating world. I've dabbled in that a time or two. It's such a gamble. Such a scene. A gaggle of ho-hum nonsense surrounding a few genuine gems that seem so few and far between. The unpredictability of it all is the most frustrating for me personally. I give up on it so often, only to jump back in again, before backing out once more. Meh.

One time I did brave being the one to initiate contact simply because I loved the guy's engaging profile. He sought it. Asked for it. But he didn't reply back. And then the opposite happens, where the guy and I engage in the "generic" Q&A bits to "earn" the ability to message, only to be rejected when I send the message with, "Oh I want to pursue other relationships right now." So why bother even talking to me all this time?

Then there's the multiple messages of the ever so generic "Hi how are you," often coupled with profiles with only one typically grainy picture and nothing even remotely interesting to read about on his own profile. Is that seriously the best a guy can come up with after I provide so much information and conversation pieces in my profiles? Was it so hard to be like, "Oh, so how come you love that movie so much? What does it for you?" Apparently yes. Yes it is that hard. Admittedly I'm guilty of simply ignoring messages of that sort, because if all a guy is doing is looking at my picture and sending me a quick "how are you message" without even acknowledging anything in my profile, why should I bother putting even MORE work into the interaction?

I don't know. Perhaps I expect too much from the online dating world. It's just another way for people to feel rejection, guy and girl alike. Anyway...my two cents.

The sad thing about it all is that in the vicinity I'm in (large Metro) I'm certain there are a dozen females within a 10-15 mile radius with me that would be perfect for me and vice versa...yet we might as well be half a world away.

Even sadder, if I don't find someone soon I am certain I am going to quit on this life and give it up and just go drink myself to death on the street. I just don't think I'll much care about any of it. At least that's how I feel on many days - not all days, but many days. I think it's a possibility down the road. Too many regrets; too many what-ifs; too many opportunities passed...

They screen people based on criteria rather than who they are and it's easy for everyone to fall short of their checklists. When you're online, people really aren't human anymore. You've seen the trolls in forums and how nasty they are, well it's similar with online dating. The people are rarely healthy and normal and the "people" they look for is often an idealistic, narcissistic version of what they think they deserve. So much of the human element is removed.