With every new dating trend comes a host of critics who claim that it is somehow “destroying love” and “ruining modern romance.” The latest dating trend on the chopping block: popular location-based dating app, Tinder.

To put things into perspective, think back to a decade ago and how people used to feel about online dating. Meeting your girlfriend or boyfriend online used to be shrouded in stigma and seen as a last attempt for the desperate and lonely. However, flash-forward to 2014 when 1 in 5 relationships start online. Online dating is the new normal. However, although I think it’s impossible to “destroy love,” in this case, Tinder’s critics do make some sound arguments.

1. Tinder plays into our culture’s obsession with instant gratification –

One of the strongest criticisms of Tinder is that it plays into our culture’s growing attention deficit and obsession with instant gratification. From shopping to interpersonal communications, we want to be able to access everything we want, right now, all from the comfort of our smartphone screens.

Swipe. Click. Hook-up. Repeat. That’s how Tinder works. If you see someone you like and the feeling is mutual – BAM!- you can instantly get in touch with them. Although it’s undeniably convenient to be able to connect with other local singles on-the-go, I feel like in some ways Tinder devalues the dating experience. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard friends say, “I met this really hot person on Tinder. We went out once, hooked up and it was kind of lame. Oh, well. On to the next one, right?” Tinder gives the allusion that there’s an endless stream of singles, which means you never really have to invest in any one person, because there’s always someone else around the corner waiting for you to “swipe right.” Tinder is a lot of fun; however, it also comes with this feeling of disposability. If the connection isn’t instant, it’s simply “on to the next one” . But if you talk to a lot of happy couples, they’ll tell you that their connection grew over time.

2. It requires minimal effort –

Tinder not only feeds on our need for instant gratification, it also encourages people to put in minimal effort when it comes to dating. Swipe right. Send a few messages. Meetup. Maybe hook-up. If someone doesn’t respond to you, swipe again. It’s easy – almost too easy.

One of my best friends is an avid Tinder user. Her biggest complaint about the app is that she meets lots of people who “just aren’t willing to try very hard.” She told me recently, “a guy I’ve been talking to for over a month  finally asked me if I’d like to attend a late night, half-priced hamburger night at a local restaurant – at 4PM on the day of. There’s no way I was saying yes to that.” If you’re looking for something very casual, Tinder can work for you. However, if late night discount hamburgers aren’t your style, Tinder can give the impression that romance is in fact, dead.

3. It encourages ambiguity and creepiness –

I think a lot of what frustrates people about Tinder is that no one is quite sure exactly what kind of dating app it really is. Are the people on there looking to date or merely hook-up? Or, maybe a bit of both?! Tinder is heavy on photos, light on actual information. Unlike other dating sites and apps where you’re asked to list what kind of relationship you’re looking for, Tinder doesn’t have this option. When it comes to trying to decode the intentions of potential dates, you’re left to your own devices.

Because of this, it’s easy for misunderstandings to occur when both parties have different expectations. Another complaint I’ve heard about Tinder is that creepy messages are aplenty. Friends who use the app have told me that it’s not uncommon for them to “swipe right” on a person they think is cute, only to immediately receive a tactless message asking them if they are interested in sex. Hence, feeding on the idea that Tinder is in fact killing modern love.

However, for all of it’s potential downfalls, Tinder has some really positive things going for it. People who enjoy the app say that it feels a lot more natural than traditional online dating. You don’t need to answer any questionnaires or write a personal essay – if you see someone you like, you can just go for it. In this sense, it’s very similar to meeting someone at a bar – and as far as I know, singles bars haven’t killed love.

For all of it’s modern conveniences, Tinder relies on something incredibly basic and primal: physical attraction. I can wax poetic about how important it is to have similar values and goals as the person you’re dating, but if you’re not attracted to them, all of that is bunk. It also encourages people to take the dating offline and into real life. After all, you can chat all you want online, butif there’s no chemistry in person, it’s not going to work.

In conclusion, Tinder isn’t destroying love. However, it is changing the way we date – one swipe at a time.