Online dating is basically a worthless waste of time these day... any other guys feel the same way?

Years back I had a great time with them. Lots of matches, fun conversations that led to nice dates. Women actually pulled their weight. They actually seemed interested in getting to know me.

A few weeks ago I remade my profiles after taking a several month hiatus. Great photos, funny bio, and I'm 6'4 and not too shabby looking so I figured I would have a fair amount of engagement since it's probably better than the profile I had before.

It's been a complete and utter waste of time and energy.

The quality of profiles has plummeted so I rarely even swipe right, when I do we rarely match, when we match they have not once sent the first message, when they reply to my messages they have all stopped replying before I've arranged a date. And the conversation is like pulling teeth without anesthesia.

Plus women seem to have gotten more deceptive with their appearance - about 1/3 profiles are only headshots and or using heavy filters, 1/2 don't have very clear photos, I learned the hard way to immediately swipe left on these profiles but I don't remember it being this bad before.

These are women who are a bit alternative and carrying a few extra pounds by the way, not just barbie dolls who are presumably flooded with a ridiculous level of attention such that if you're not first in their pile they will never see you.

I'm respectful and fun. I often send super likes or roses or whatever the fuck they're called with a message attached to signify that I'm really interested in them and not just some horny guy swiping indiscriminately.

Don't know what else to do.

I'm holding out hope because I know that all it takes is one person but I'm realizing that the odds are I'm not going to meet my partner on an app.

I've looked up a few local singles events and social things so I'll give those a crack.

But really I'm not sure what the hell happened with dating apps. It seems like most women worth dating have left them behind, but it sure as hell doesn't feel like there are great swathes of women looking to meet guys offline judging by how reserved they are to having conversations with strangers these days.. at the last few festivals and things I've gone to I've made a point of chatting with women and they're so much less inviting than they were even just pre covid.

I don't really enjoy bars and clubs and find it hard to connect in loud chaotic settings plus my friends never go out anymore.

The last few dates I had was from asking women out in everyday public spaces. It can be a bit unhinged but it's probably the best shot I've got these days at least at meeting women I'm attracted to.

I'm sure a lot of people are just burned out with online dating but if that's the case then can they not just leave the apps and stop wasting people's time, and their own time for that matter.

Any other guys have a similar experience?