Moreso than Match.com, eHarmony, or SeaCaptainDate, OkCupid has become the online-dating choice for hip millennials looking for "new friends," "long-term dating," "short-term dating," "activity partners," "long-distance relationships," or "casual sex." Naturally, part of its popularity is the millennial appeal: Culturally aware, young, and Internet savvy, they're the superior online-dating talent pool.
But there's more to OKCupid than that. There's math. Interesting math, in fact, explained by OKCupid co-founder Christian Rudder in this charming animated video above.
While we always knew that the endless questions OKC prompts factor deep into its pairing system, we never quite understood the actual mechanics that have led so many of our friends into blossoming long-term relationships (yeah, sometimes it works). Its formula makes a lot of assumptions about how love happens, but, quite often these assumptions prove true. The video above lays out the formula for success in a way that we actually (for once) understand.
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Now, there are those of you out there who believe that love, true love, is something found in a moment, not in an algorithm. Others might note that differences between people might actually make them more compatible, or that OKC is always hooking you up with guys who string you along, then stop calling. True, OKCupid may be very effective for some, but it can be grueling, humiliating, or downright useless for others. Fix that, math wizards!
Either way, the video is an interesting look into the machinery behind a major Internet player and the engine that has fueled many a lasting relationship (and unsatisfying hookup). Still, it does not explain the science behind its "special blend" or what exactly an "activity partner" is. Tell us if you have any ideas.
Video: Courtesy of TED