Tinder - your self-esteem will thank you.

Have you ever heard of Tinder? For those who don't know, here's a simplified explanation: it's a smartphone app that serves various purposes: from casual sex to forming potential couples. It's simple: you have access to some photos of people of a certain age and geographic location (photos from Facebook, since Tinder is a byproduct of it and therefore uses your data) and by swiping right on any of the photos you "like" the person and by swiping left you reject them.

That's where the intelligence and rationality of this app's mechanism lies: you can only know if the other person liked you too, and then communicate with them, if that "right" swipe of your finger on the screen was mutual. In this way, the app performs an automatic "filtering" and can avoid frustrations and inconveniences. Practical and objective. Just like the times we live in.

Is this Fordist method of choosing a partner a reflection of our times? What will this future generation of relationships be like? And will the children whose parents met through Tinder be able to proudly say, "My mother saw about four photos of my father and in a—whatever-you-can-call-it-a-gesture (how much energy does it take just to touch a touchscreen?)—promptly showed her interest in him, which was reciprocated?" Is this the end of romantic love? Or is it just a digital version of a night out, where people kiss and exchange WhatsApp and Facebook contacts (in that exact order: hooking up first)? No, it's not that romantic at first, but I don't know if it's meant to be. I think the main objective of both is functional, to connect people.

For those still suffering from unrequited romantic love in the 21st century, Tinder could be a good alternative for those who previously turned to alcohol, opium, or brothels. A modern-day Álvares de Azevedo could drown his sorrows and bitterness through this "fishing" on Tinder while sipping absinthe and trying to forget that lady with skin as white and soft as a peach.

Ultimately, for those who aren't lucky enough to have a peaceful love, or even for those who live for conquest and seduction in daily doses, Tinder offers a vast menu and shows that there are indeed plenty of fish in this ocean.

One of Tinder's merits is having transformed love into a game. It's a game that occupies and distracts, without great expectations of results. The "It's a Match" (anyone who has played Tinder knows what I'm talking about) is already satisfying, just like when we change levels in the game.

But its greatest merit is taking online flirting out of the realm of things you have to do half-hidden, half-ashamedly. It's Facebook's efficient employee, a tribal pompadour, and time-consuming for those who use Facebook. And with a giant advantage over other tools in this family or any game: Tinder puts you in the spotlight without damaging your self-esteem. Perfect protection (if someone you liked doesn't like you back, they'll never know). Genius idea.