Every morning when I go to work, I open my computer and let people’s romantic hopes wash all over me. I run The Cut’s personal ads , where people semi-anonymously advertise themselves to potential dates. Looking for someone to adopt a cat with , they write . I don’t smoke, but don’t mind if you do. Seeking an older woman to boss me around. Let’s whisper before the movie starts at the Lincoln Center AMC.

Without their faces and government names attached, as they would be on most dating apps, people are more inclined to cop to what they want. I’ve heard back that people are going on great dates, which doesn’t surprise me: They’re meeting on the basis of being decisive, hopeful, and sincere. Those same great qualities are, from a less generous vantage, completely cringe.

As you may hav

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