killing time

This MSNBC article is critical of the mindset of dating someone "in the meantime." That is, being in a relationship while hoping to one day find someone better.

I agree with the basic premise -- it's never a good idea to be in a relationship just for the sake of being in a relationship. And you should never date someone simply to avoid being lonely.

Still, at a relationship's early stages, it's very rare that both partners are completely convinced they've found the mate of their dreams.

In fact, I've seen many girls ditch a guy before even getting out of that awkward first-few-dates phase. The reason? They were afraid of getting into the "in the meantime" trap.

Do you think a fear of lower standards sometimes prevents people from giving a significant other a fair chance?