Why do people even bother with dating nowadays?

I’m not being facetious with this - I am genuinely curious to hear people’s perspectives on a subject that has puzzled me for a while now.

Everything we know about human psychology suggests that humans are utility maximisers. That is, mostly we try to optimise our outcomes and minimise the expenditure of effort to get there.

This is clearly defied by modern dating - by all accounts a complete hellscape - where people pour vast amounts of time, effort and money into using dating apps, subjecting themselves to scrutiny and risking rejection and humiliation in the process for something where the prospects of finding a suitable partner are close to zero.

It’s all the more mystifying when you consider that a dizzying array of easily accessible, high quality internet porn exists nowadays such that, for those looking for sexual encounters, can easily satisfy their urges for free and from the comfort of their own home, without travelling to a venue to meet a stranger who will, in all likelihood, pass you over for the next person off the conveyor belt of potential options.

Why do so many people still persist with this charade? Why not opt out of the whole thing and accept that the world has just changed now? Instead of allowing the app companies to profit at the expense of your happiness.

I understand that most humans have a yearning for contentment and companionship but there are far more efficient means of fulfilling these than falling into the trap of dating apps.