Not too long ago, I remember my older brother griping about how to meet girls interested in a serious relationship. After college, a traditional way to meet people is by visiting the local bar scene. Unfortunately, prospects there are quite limited, for obvious reasons. But today, we have the entire world at our fingertips, where can meet and chat with people all over the world through this magical tool called the Internet. This train of thought and my brother’s dilemma led me to the inspection of online dating websites and Dr. Neil Clark Warren.
This 72-year old grandfather is the founder behind eHarmony.com, the most well-known and successful dating site on the Internet today. At first, I was expecting his profile to read like the stereotypical business mongrel that stumbled upon the genius idea of taking advantage of all the lonely people in the world looking for love. But instead, I have discovered Dr. Warren to be a saintly old man with a surprisingly well-credentialed background. He started with a bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine University, then went on to earn a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Chicago in 1967. Before eHarmony, Dr. Warren was a dean and practicing psychologist at the Fuller Theological Seminary. He worked with the famous Carl Rodgers, a pioneer in the development of client-focused psychotherapy. His website is based off of actual research that he collected over the years as a practicing psychologist. He developed a 436-question psychological test, covering 29 dimensions of marriage success, which can be used to match people without ever meeting them in person. His work has raised eHarmony.com above the other sites, by basing it in scientific psychological research that the site proudly displays as one of its most noteworthy points. As a soon-to-be Marriage and Family graduate student, I find his determination to create lasting marriages admirable. Although breaking down one’s marriage prospects into a series of paper-based questions is a bit too precise an approach to love, it is preferable to a one-night stand with a girl from the local bar. Dr.Warren has created an excellent tool to be used in combination with face-to-face meetings in order to facilitate lasting relationships.
