Welcome to a new generation: fake love. Millennials and iGen’s were the foundation of this new age of love, and I’d like to think that Tinder and other social media sites planted the seed.

Tinder started out as an innocent dating site in which users can swipe right (to “like” someone) or left (to “dislike” someone) on other profiles in order to get a “match” with someone they like. If the users match with each other, they are allowed to message each other back and forth.

The swiping game is meant for those who are single, but other social media platforms have turned into a game as well. Specifically, a game of sliding — sliding in DMs (direct messages), has now escalated into cheating.

My generation has really popularized the idea of cheating, and now it is something that is seen as a normality more and more.

Recent surveys are showing that cheating is becoming more and more prevalent — to the point where cheaters are beginning to thrive.

What was meant for singles is now being practiced by those in relationships, which has lead to numerous amounts of cheating cases, both in dating relationships and marital relationships as well.

This trend of cheating on a significant other is subtly making its presence known in marriages, too.

The divorce rate has been at a steady climb for years, and the correlation of affairs has gone up with it.

Spouses are now swiping left on their marriages and swiping right on other men and women.

And this is not okay.

Falling out of love and not having the connection you once had or are seeking for is OK. But your partner deserves to know.

They do not, however, deserve to be lied to, deceived and/or cheated on.

If you are a cheater, you are the worst kind of person.

You are the scum between your own toes.

Natalee Reynolds is a sophomore English and creative writing major. She can be reached at

581-2812 or at nmreynolds@eiu.edu.