[wjessup]

Could you please explain this line of reasoning? It's not immediately clear why a middleman reduces chances of malicious behavior. Do you think the risk of malicious behavior could be reduced through individual confidence, judgement or leadership in the same way or differently?

[lotsofpulp]

Because the middleman is not just any middleman, it's someone in your network, who is vested in you having a good experience so that you continue to be valuable to them and vice versa. The middleman will do some due diligence before recommending two people to each other.

[floatingatoll]

If my friend sets me up with a scam artist, they’re at risk of to losing a friend - and potentially be ostracized by their entire social network for it. So they’re a lot less likely to recommend a scam artist, because they have skin in the game.

Same if they set me up on a date with their friend who ends up being abusive.

[heedlessly3]

This makes sense. Every person I have dated was via my social circle or someone we had mutual friends with. I don't date a complete stranger with zero connections.