I've never particularly liked the term 'dating'. in the UK a few decades ago we didn't really use or have the term 'dating'. unfortunately with the Americanism of the English language the term 'dating' has crept into the UK. one of the reasons I don't like the term dating is because it's a bit too vague and yet it appears too formal. I suspect people used to get together in a more natural, more organic, fluid way. I find the term friendship is more concise and clear. I sometimes wonder if the dating industry has turned what used to be a natural process into a profit making business model. maybe the honesty, vulnerability, the fun, the excitement, the intrigue and the mystery of human relations has become too binary. As with everything in life, human relations are about adaptability and I sometimes think formal matchmaking processes are bound to interfere with this.