A level that takes weeks in person to achieve, is established in the advert break of Ant n Dec’s Saturday night takeaway. You’re at DEFCON 4 before you know it. It’s a far cry from what your grandparents would call ‘courting’.

More importantly, for me anyway, it gives an unfair advantage the charmless good looking people of the world. As if they needed a hand, they can now have no charisma and still do alright for themselves. Anyone can write “hiya babes, wat yup to?x x tb”. I feel dirty just writing it. Bad grammar isn’t cool and certainly not sexy. This is one occasion when this geek wants the world to put their computers and technology down (carefully, of course, have a little respect. It’s expensive equipment). For the record, I blame ‘Sleepless in Seattle’.

I remember an age when you would own up to voting Conservative before admitting internet romance websites, and speed dating meant something entirely different. Alas, this is also perfectly acceptable. We are already partaking in 22nd century flirting.

Facebook had opened a new world of poking and private messaging. For the 0.01% not familiar with the Facebook phenomenon, imagine free texts, unlimited access to photos from the last five years and an up to date account of someone’s sexual preference, availability and daily activity. Jail time, right? Wrong. An acceptable way to get to know someone.

On the one hand it’s fantastic. Two people can forgo weeks (depending on their, shall we say, frame of mind) of formality and avoid wasting half the night, next time you see them, trying to make small talk over the annoying DJ who loves the sound of his voice. On the other, it eradicates some of the most fantastically cringe worthy moments of our adolescence.

So I urge you, be bold, not Bebo. Talk to that girl in the shoe shop who always smiles at you, even though you’re almost certain it’s just for a sale. Strike up a conversation with that guy on the train that you think is out of your league.