> It's possibe that the _need_ for such services
> reflects the second sort of problem in with capitalism
> in the abstract, that human binds with ones neighbors,
> co-workers, and such are broken, but even if that is
> true,w hy shoukd people be confined in the circle of
> potential dates and mates to those whom they know
> because of proximity>
Exactly. Those who bemoan the "commodification" and "marketization" of dating should keep in mind that the alternatives are either dating "the guy/gal next door" which is a form of inbreeding, or the family elders making that decision for their offspring, usually female, which is a form of feudal bondage and patriarchy.
However, that hardly matters for the "capitalism bashing" and kindred varieties of radicalism that seem to be a form of a religious cult immune to rational argument, so you either have to bark with the pack or be lost, no matter what the merits or demerits of your arguments are. Having spent years on radical lists in this country, I think I now understand why folks like Hitchens gradually developed a profound distaste for the US left - familiarity certainly breeds contempt - albeit the foolishness of the US left is not an excuse to side with the foolishness of the US right.
Wojtek