Obscuring the Message
- Saturday, August 27 2011 @ 08:53 am
- Contributed by: Jet
- Views: 1,554
So you’ve joined an online dating site and sat down to write your profile. The first priority in your mind is writing a profile that really speaks to someone compatible with you, right? So you load it up with references to your favorite movie quotes, or maybe a passage written in binary. You’re all set, right?
Well, maybe, maybe not. Yes, you definitely want to attract someone who “gets” you. However, what if someone is entirely compatible but they simply haven’t seen your new favorite movie? Or what if they’re the type to send messages through chemistry equations, but they don’t know binary? When you make an obscure reference, you’re banking on both a compatible sense of humor or personality, as well as specific knowledge. Not to mention the fact that you’re making your profile unintelligible to anyone who doesn’t fit the magic combination.
So what to do? Is it possible to write a profile that “speaks” to people who get the same jokes and references without alienating everyone else?
In short, yes. You don’t have to eliminate all your obscure references outright; you just have to make sure that they’re separate from the main content of your profile, and denote that they’re actually a reference as opposed to nonsense.
For example, let’s say you have a favorite movie quote. Instead of trying to shoehorn it awkwardly into the context of your self-summary, why not include it in the Movies section? You might want to try something like, “I like comedies, especially the one that coined this phrase...”
Is it making things “easy” for the reader? Yes - and that’s exactly the point. You’re looking for people who might be compatible and have similar interests - not giving them a pop quiz. It’s always better to encourage a “maybe-fit” than scare one off.
As you edit your profile, try to ensure that it isn’t too laden down with obscure references or jokes. One or two isn’t bad - especially if they’re obviously referring to something else (and there’s nothing wrong with explicitly saying “Bonus points if you get this”). However, even if they do have common interests, no reader should need a decoder ring to get through your profile.
Well, maybe, maybe not. Yes, you definitely want to attract someone who “gets” you. However, what if someone is entirely compatible but they simply haven’t seen your new favorite movie? Or what if they’re the type to send messages through chemistry equations, but they don’t know binary? When you make an obscure reference, you’re banking on both a compatible sense of humor or personality, as well as specific knowledge. Not to mention the fact that you’re making your profile unintelligible to anyone who doesn’t fit the magic combination.
So what to do? Is it possible to write a profile that “speaks” to people who get the same jokes and references without alienating everyone else?
In short, yes. You don’t have to eliminate all your obscure references outright; you just have to make sure that they’re separate from the main content of your profile, and denote that they’re actually a reference as opposed to nonsense.
For example, let’s say you have a favorite movie quote. Instead of trying to shoehorn it awkwardly into the context of your self-summary, why not include it in the Movies section? You might want to try something like, “I like comedies, especially the one that coined this phrase...”
Is it making things “easy” for the reader? Yes - and that’s exactly the point. You’re looking for people who might be compatible and have similar interests - not giving them a pop quiz. It’s always better to encourage a “maybe-fit” than scare one off.
As you edit your profile, try to ensure that it isn’t too laden down with obscure references or jokes. One or two isn’t bad - especially if they’re obviously referring to something else (and there’s nothing wrong with explicitly saying “Bonus points if you get this”). However, even if they do have common interests, no reader should need a decoder ring to get through your profile.
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