Love at First Swipe? Karol Wojtyła's Personalist Norm in the Digital Age.

This research paper, Love at First Swipe? Karol Wojtyła’s Personalist Norm in the Digital Age, offers a philosophical evaluation of swipe-based dating applications such as Tinder and Bumble through the lens of Karol Wojtyła’s personalist ethics in Love and Responsibility. Grounded in the personalist norm, which holds that a person must never be treated merely as a means but always as an end, the study critically examines whether swipe culture fosters authentic self-giving love or subtly promotes utilitarian attitudes and disposability. Through qualitative philosophical and phenomenological analysis, the paper argues that while digital platforms expand opportunities for connection, their structure encourages rapid evaluation, commodification, and weakened commitment. It concludes that authentic love remains possible in digitally mediated contexts when users consciously affirm the inherent dignity of the human person and practice responsible self-gift.