THE notion that finding a perfect match is a science, has been known to Indians for millennia.
Complex calculations of the relative positions of stars in the candidates’ horoscopes, even more convoluted research into their familial prospects and assets, besides of course, close scrutiny to assess personal attributes, have always been de rigeuer pre-nuptial activity. The cumulative information and practical wisdom that reposes in the heads of people traditionally charged with finding alliances in India, have proved to be convenient and speedy shortcuts for marriageable offspring and anxious parents alike, with classified matrimonial advertising adding a 20th century dimension. Now, after years of seeking true love via pop quizzes in lifestyle magazines, the west has finally caught on that the perfect mate can be obtained less by mastering the art of love than by analysing empirical evidence. It stands to reason. If Netflix can recommend appropriate movies for customers based on an algorithm that analyses previous choices, why can’t singletons find their possible mates using scientific markers? Online, that too.
While the idea of romantic chemistry via novel formulae devised by websites offering ‘focussed’ choices seems more dependable than singles bars, they do not come cheap. One service, for instance, that has based its USP on the ‘fact’ that women are attracted to the smell of men who have immune systems very different from their own, charges nearly $2,000 to bolster their subscribers’ chances, by taking deep background checks to a new level: not only credit and criminal records but also DNA profiles! Some sites delve into matching characteristics and traits, others compare and match family, social and educational backgrounds, interests and aspirations. The underlying principle is obvious — finding a mate has to be more exacting than finding a date.
Could this be the next lucrative outsourcing idea?
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