Illustrated By Ammiel Mendoza.You don't have to tell us — online dating can be pretty terrible. Between the sea of inane (or inappropriate) OkCupid IMs and the Tinder creeps, it's a wonder we all haven't given up completely. The very, very worst part, though, is that there's really no way of knowing whether that great-on-paper admirer who's been sending you those thoughtful, intelligent messages will end up being a total bore. In the end, isn't it all about chemistry?
With that in mind, a new company hopes to turn the process on its head by helping hopeful singles find their perfect match based on their chemical compatibility. A new company, straightforwardly called Pheromone Parties, organizes singles events in cities like L.A., London, and NYC. The premise: Single ladies and gents are instructed to wear a clean T-shirt to bed every night for three nights before the party — then bring it to the event. Each shirt is placed in a plastic bag marked pink (for women) or blue (for dudes) and assigned a number. Party guests then take a whiff of as many bags as they want. If they like what they smell, they pose for a photo with the bag; these pictures are projected onto the wall for the other guests to see. If you see your bag posing with a cutie patootie, then it's on you to seek them out and put those pheromones to good use.
While we like the idea of trying out a totally new way to find a mate, we're a little skeptical that we're going to find our perfect match by smelling a bunch of dirty laundry. Yes, there's an increasing amount of evidence suggesting that pheromones and body chemistry play a significant role in who we're attracted to, but that doesn't mean we're down to pick a date based on his or her musk situation. We think we'll stick to Tinder for now? (BBC)