If you're single, there might be a simple mathematical explanation for it. Tristan Miller from the
German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence managed to figure out why, of 5.5 billion people on earth in 1999, he was still single.
In the whole world, he concluded that there were only 18,726 women out there that were of the right age, in the right region, and met a few other criteria. He'd have to date consecutively for almost 67 years in order to find "The One." It was a funny read to me, and maybe for the mathematically-inclined out there it would be more interesting, but that is not me.
So this holiday season, if your family asks why you're still single in a sea of married cousins (or is that just me?) you can simply explain to them that it's not statistically feasible for you to be in a relationship now.
Thoughts?
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Comments (55)
Actually, sounds about right... when you factor in a lot of things that, for me, must be met, you get down to a much lower number than that. For instance, she must be either self-reliant financially, or have a high degree of education. She must be attractive, at least an 8 on that dumb scale...and kind, and funny as hell, and she has to have a want of knowledge....
Now give me THAT number! Haha
lol, if i was single i'd say something like that.
This is a depressing thought...
I blog about my disastrous dates/sexual embarrassments/pursuit of my hairdresser - check it out: http://plentymorefishoutofwater.blogspot.com/
baha! i'm so going to use that as my reason! haha... although i think my family knows better than to bring this crap up anymore.
lol the error in that argument is that you don't have to date all 18,726 to find the one. You can very well find "the one" when you hit #10 or even #2.
Thats funny that someone actually took the time to calculate all of that..Maybe THATS the reason they're single..I know why i'm single:awkward,quiet,shy,boring,no car,insecure,and i have no idea what the purpose of having a bf is besides sex and i didnt need a degree in mathematics to figure that out.
"Without going into the specifics of precisely which traits I admire, I
will say that for a girl to be considered really beautiful to me, she
should fall at least two standard deviations above the norm."
That is hilarious though. He could have taken his conclusion to its end by factoring the average dating rate for males and females and there I think shown the odds of him finding his girlfriend, not necessarily ending by stating it as an impossibility.
Kinda funny.
We do spend a lot of time trying to find 'the one' when the truth is that we're all fairly flexible.
Well, the nerd in me has to point out the mathematical problems with this researcher's arguments. To clarify for the not-so-mathematically-inclined. The guy's basically looking for a girl with actress looks, decent intelligence, not committed and possibly interested in him. Unfortunately, if you look at it that way, that's unrealistic.
Furthermore, he forgot the factor in the probabilistic correlation with attractiveness and being in a relationship. The hotter and smarter a girl is, the more likely she is to already be in a relationship. Hate to break the guy's bubble, but I actually think there are no girls on the planet that meet his requirements.
@wonderland7386@xanga - I do not think that number takes into consideration factors like being married, already seeing someone, ect.
Anyways back to the post, mathematics can explain just about everything. My family would not ask me such question as well they just want me to focus on college (still another 7 years more of it- doubt many girls would put their lives on hold for that anyways). I haven't been in a serious relationship in a long time; it has just been flings and whatnot.
I don't think you should follow some math statistics to find "the one". What if you meet someone you're not dating and love at first sight happens? Okay fine,...maybe not love at first sight, how about LUST at first sight?
That definitely explains it.
Lol...
I'm a math major.. I love this =D
hahaha I found my one! I am lucky.
What it all boils down to is that you just have to take that leap of faith, sometimes.
And, dude, stop putting so much emphasis on looks. The best-looking guy I ever dated ended up being a full-on asshole. Looks aren't everything. Personality is more important.
-Katie
o i'd so use this if i was single! lol
so that explains it!! no wonder I'm single hahahaha.
If my family asks me that question, I'll tell them to mind their own d@mn business! LOL!
my mom and grandma have alreayd started bugging me about it
The only way to fight such statistics is to be more realistic about your expectations and to work at being accomodating (to a degree) ie being approachable, open (communicative), considerate or open-minded, etc. Relationshionships take effort not just merely looking for a perfect match.
@Parsimony@xanga - You are mucho correcto. (:
I think that people who are self sufficient and loving have a better chance of finding The One. And because people can change, so can that possibility of getting hitched.
Weird...I'd just say get a pair of balls and start putting yourself out there. It isn't too difficult to start liking a friend of yours and to get him to eventually start liking you.
hahahaha LOVE this!! i had heard the number 18,000 quoted previously (as a couples counselor, these things came up in school, if only as jokes....), but i had never actually read the paper before. thanks for finding it!
hahaha the math isn't really sound, but the estimations are reasonable. the trick is, though, you don't really have to date all those people, you just have to meet that many people. which is still a lot, haha but hopefully not quite as time-consuming?
makes one feel either ridiculously lucky or utterly hopeless, haha
@OptStudent@xanga - ...and I thought only girls had a list of what they want in another person. apparently I was wrong, and impressed by that.
There's no such thing as "The One". You don't find the right person, you MAKE the right person. Learn to accept the flaws in the people you date and one day you might just fall in love with them.