Dating in the digital era can be a rocky road, but in the forthcoming airing of “Inside Man,” Morgan Spurlock looks to redefine the road trip. In advance of the episode, here are a few street signs every traveler ought to take note of:
1. Where should you go?
Before setting out on the heartbeat highway, one must lock in on the ideal travel companion. As Spurlock learns in a visit with Dr. Helen Fisher — a world renowned love expert — determining who you’ll ultimately end up with comes down to identifying four main lanes, each of which is linked to a specific hormone:
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In the same way a safe driver crunches the numbers on an odometer or fuel gauge, an OK Cupid member deals with data in the form of a relatively simple algorithm:
“We let people weigh an importance. So like if you really, really care about scary movies or whatever you could max it out or if you just don’t care then you could give it a zero basically,” details Chris Rudder, one of the site’s founders. “So the match percentage is actually really simple. There’s not like calculus or anything.”
And whether it’s virtually online, through “OK Cupid,” or literally on line, like in a local watering hole, the secret to success is keeping one’s foot on the proverbial pedal. Behind the “OK Cupid” curtain, it’s revealed that increased activity on the site — posting photos, regularly checking in — rewards users. Meanwhile, at Spurlock’s urging, the habitually single Raja steps outside of his comfort zone and buys someone a drink at a bar.
“Well that was nice … there is an interest that is for sure,” he reports, furthering the notion that while being overly aggressive will cause you to crash and burn, a squeaky wheel will almost certainly get oiled first. “I had a real connection.”
Alas, the road to true love has forever been a complicated one, often full of twists and turns. But with Morgan Spurlock at the wheel, the latest episode of “Inside Man” (airing Thursday at 9 p.m.) sets out to handle dating detours and lead even the most sour of relationship lemons out of their respective rut.
