All of the conundrums of online dating, digital dating, website algorithms–these seem unique to the internet age. But in fact they were all big issues 100+ years ago when Germans (the focus of this presentation) and Americans alike confronted the difficulty of finding love in the modern metropolis, which was huge and chaotic and full of unfamiliar faces. They also experimented with a whole host of new technologies and algorithms in an attempt to solve the riddle of modern love.

Who was trustworthy? Were people what they appeared to be? Were potential mates presenting themselves genuinely in the newspaper personal ads they wrote? And what of love and marriage, anyway? Was it even relevant anymore in the modern world? Shouldn’t we perhaps just do 5-year termed marriages with an option to renew, free-agent-style, they wondered?

This talk will explore the links between dating past and present and offer ALL of the secrets to lasting romantic happiness…or at least some interesting perspectives on the topic.

These themes will be explored in a lecture given by Tyler Carrington, PhD, Associate Professor of German Studies and History at Cornell College. Refreshments will be served.