Is Paying for Dates Ethical?

[PoliticalChic]

At least that's how it works on WhatsYourPrice.com, a new dating site that's trying to bring Adam Smith's rules of capitalism to Cupid's world of romance.

On the site, which went live a week ago, members who label themselves "generous" flash dollar signs to bid for the chance to take "attractive" members out on a date.

The buying and selling of beautiful singles may sound an awful lot like prostitution, but the site's founder, Brandon Wade, insists that WhatsYourPrice is about paying for first dates, not paying for sex.

"If you look at the way charity events are held, you have these firemen and beautiful prom kings and queens [up for bid]," he said. "People are already doing this around the world, obviously for charity, but a similar concept would apply here."

Dating Website: Members Buy, Sell First Dates on What'sYourPrice.com - ABC News

 

[xsited1]

Do they accept food stamps?

 

[uscitizen]

I thinnk all dates should be dutch.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

Call me old fashioned I never allowed any of my dates to pay for a meal.
I was dating this woman years back in the late 80's she kept buying me all these gift's clothes watches and such. I broke up with her because of that.

 

[Zoom-boing]

I thinnk all dates should be dutch.

Why you be hatin' on all the other nationalities?

 

[percysunshine]

How much would a lazy pig in sunglasses who likes to sunworship fetch?

 

[xsited1]

I don't have a problem with it. There's the concept of the dowry in other cultures. Everything seems to revolve around money. How many women would want to be married to a guy that makes minimum wage? Not many.

 

[Toro]

I'd love to make some money that way, but I'm married...

 

[william the wie]

My wife would get very upset. Besides which if Gail manages to off herself (it wasn't until the second visit to the emergency room when I told her to get admitted or call a taxi to get home that she got treatment for a drug sideeffect that nearly killed her.) the import market beckons.

 

[sparky]

i say the bids refllect poundage , like cattle

and an auctioneer is utilized....

 

[PoliticalChic]

Call me old fashioned I never allowed any of my dates to pay for a meal.
I was dating this woman years back in the late 80's she kept buying me all these gift's clothes watches and such. I broke up with her because of that.

What interests me about your response, Reb, is that in comparison to most of the other semi-serious posts, you show the most traditional view, that men have certain obligations toward their women.

Even after the 'women's movements,' I think women look for that view.

When I read the original article, at first I was shocked, but then, perhaps it is a reality based concept....look what some said about dowry, and that minimum-wage would be a turnn off.....

One could look at it as a filter so that a woman could see serious intentions immedialely....

I'll be interested in seeing if the concept catches on.

 

[uscitizen]

i say the bids refllect poundage , like cattle

and an auctioneer is utilized....

Actually more of an inverse relationship to price/poundage.

 

[Anachronism]

For some of us it might be the only way for us to get a date to begin with.

 

[uscitizen]

For some of us it might be the only way for us to get a date to begin with.

True, why do you think it is taking place on the internet?

 

[xsited1]

Call me old fashioned I never allowed any of my dates to pay for a meal.
I was dating this woman years back in the late 80's she kept buying me all these gift's clothes watches and such. I broke up with her because of that.

What interests me about your response, Reb, is that in comparison to most of the other semi-serious posts, you show the most traditional view, that men have certain obligations toward their women.

Even after the 'women's movements,' I think women look for that view.

When I read the original article, at first I was shocked, but then, perhaps it is a reality based concept....look what some said about dowry, and that minimum-wage would be a turnn off.....

One could look at it as a filter so that a woman could see serious intentions immedialely....

I'll be interested in seeing if the concept catches on.

Men certainly do have obligations towards 'their women'. I wish some men would stop being such wimps and get with the program.

 

[sparky]

i say the bids refllect poundage , like cattle

and an auctioneer is utilized....

Actually more of an inverse relationship to price/poundage.

i stand corrected, and at the far end of the spectrum>

 

[Blagger]

I'd like to repeat the sentiment I expressed towards your OP the last time we met, PoliticalChic, but on this occasion it isn't exactly rocket science.

When I was younger and I took prospective conquests out for dinner, my sole motive for indulging my dinner date was to have my wicked way with her immediately afterwards or at a later date. Crude, I know, but I was obeying my carnal instincts and didn't have to be told that surprising my date with a proposal to go half way on the bill wasn't going to bode well with regards to my (and perhaps hers) underlying objective. This, ladies, but more importantly gentleman, is the law of the jungle. To behave otherwise would be most rum.

Upon meeting my wife and subsequently realising that my attraction ran much deeper than what I was hoping she'd be like in bed, a carried on with tradition and paid for any indulgences I would heap on her. I didn't treat her to extravagant holidays, expensive cars or any surgery. No, I stayed faithful to the unwritten law of the male/female gratuity arrangement, I pulled her chair out for her and picked-up the bill at the end of the evening. Besides, retaining a calm composure whilst clenching your teeth teeth up reading the bill and waiving the sum off as a mere pittance whilst flashing your date a reassuring smile is what I like to call your 007 moment. Because let's face it, chaps, the closest you or I are going to get to being part of Her Majesty's secret service is getting dressed-up and taking your Moneypenny to the ball.

So, there you have it.

 

[L.K.Eder]

well, stealing dates is certainly not ethical.

you should not complain if you get shot off the palm.

 

[Blagger]

well, stealing dates is certainly not ethical.

you should not complain if you get shot off the palm.

For those of you who are having difficulty understanding what young L. K. Eder is alluding to, "get shot of the palm" is a way of saying 'to abandon one's fist for sexual gratification'. A more polite euphemism would be 'to abstain from visiting Madame Palm and her five daughters'.

 

[DavidS]

At least that's how it works on WhatsYourPrice.com, a new dating site that's trying to bring Adam Smith's rules of capitalism to Cupid's world of romance.

On the site, which went live a week ago, members who label themselves "generous" flash dollar signs to bid for the chance to take "attractive" members out on a date.

The buying and selling of beautiful singles may sound an awful lot like prostitution, but the site's founder, Brandon Wade, insists that WhatsYourPrice is about paying for first dates, not paying for sex.

"If you look at the way charity events are held, you have these firemen and beautiful prom kings and queens [up for bid]," he said. "People are already doing this around the world, obviously for charity, but a similar concept would apply here."

Dating Website: Members Buy, Sell First Dates on What'sYourPrice.com - ABC News

I'd pay a million bucks to date you, PoliticalChic! Unfortunately, I don't have a million bucks.

PS You still owe me cookies.