Culture

Can You Life-Hack Your Way To Love

Published

2 years ago

September 29, 2023

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There’s never been a shortage of dating advice from family, friends and self-help authors. Yet in the digital age, people are also turning to nerdy hacker-types as guides.

At first, they might seem like an odd source of romantic advice, but think again: Computer programmers created the systems of quizzes, swipes and algorithms that millions rely on for matchmaking. Who better to explain how to make the most of these digital tools?

This new approach to dating takes advantage of the power of data. “Quantitative futurist” Amy Webb, for instance, created a handful of fake accounts depicting the types of men she wanted to marry and learned what her highly-rated competitors’ profiles looked like. After applying these insights to her own profile, she became the most popular woman on JDate, an online dating site for Jewish people. Mathematician Christopher McKinlay similarly hacked his profile on OkCupid and crawled thousands of profiles to identify the clusters of women he most wanted to target.

With hundreds of candidates in hand, both had to then filter the field: Webb created a sophisticated spreadsheet, and McKinlay went on 88 dates. In the end, each found a spouse.

All of this is part of a new approach to life, as a thing to be hacked and optimized by way of a quantified self.

People track what they eat, the hours they work, the items they own and countless other details, hoping to experience better health, improved productivity and greater contentment. However, in my forthcoming book, “Hacking Life: Systematized Living and its Discontents,” I reveal how the quest for the optimum path can lead you astray. In the case of dating, trying to optimize can be foolishly naive and misunderstand the nature of the task.

Counting on love

Consider the case of former software engineer Valerie Aurora, who in 2015 returned to the dispiriting task of online dating. This time, she hoped she might make the experience palatable, fun even, by hacking dating. Inspired by Webb, Aurora developed a spreadsheet for ranking candidates with positive and negative attributes, including flaws that were so bad they were “dealbreakers.”

However, with experience, Aurora realized that she had been too inflexible about dealbreakers. She wrote, “I am now in a happy relationship with someone who had six of what I labeled ‘dealbreakers’ when we met. And if he hadn’t been interested in working those issues out with me, we would not be dating today. But he was, and working together we managed to resolve all six of them to our mutual satisfaction.”

It is a mistake to believe that an ideal match is somewhere out there, just waiting to be rated and ranked. Instead, people invest and grow in their relationship. A good match can be found, but psychology research suggests a good relationship is made.

Searching far and wide

Taking a data-centric approach can also lead to a never-ending search. Technology entrepreneur Sebastian Stadil went on 150 dates in four months – more than one a day! At the end, he wrote, “I still believe technology can hack love, though that belief is likely irrational.” He confessed that “having more matches increased my odds of finding someone interesting, but it also became an addiction. The possibility of meeting that many people made me want to meet every one of them, to make sure I wouldn’t miss the One.”

It’s a paradox of choice in the digital age: A better match could be just one more date – and data-point – away. Hackers who know their computer science recognize this as the puzzle of “optimal stopping,” which seeks to determine how long someone should hold out for a better option.

There is no perfect solution, but there is a reasonable formula: Figure out your parameters, like how soon you want to be in a relationship and how many dates you want to go on in search of the right person. Say you’ve given yourself a year and 100 dates – two a week. The math says you should go on dates with 37 percent of them without committing, and then – after the 37th person and about four and a half months – pursue the first person who’s better than all the others you’ve met.

Of course, this still assumes that the problem of starting a relationship is a matter of quantity, measurement and optimization. Aurora’s experience suggests that making a match is as much about interpersonal negotiation as it is about data and analysis.

Joseph Reagle is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Northeastern University.

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Cannabis

White House Finally Comments On Marijuana Industry

Published

1 day ago

April 1, 2025

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Part of the cannabis industry supported the new president, betting he was going to move and move quickly on cannabis – the White House finally commented.

The cannabis industry has been a boon for consumers, medical patients, veterans and legal states, but for the thousands of mom and pop businesses is has been a roller coaster. With a huge demand, it would seem to be easy money, but the federal, tax, and banking restrictions have made it difficult to grow and expand. Part of the industry were all for the new administration assuming they would support positive change, but many in the new cabinet and the House Speaker Mike Johnson are foes. Now the White House finally comments on marijuana industry…and it doesn’t show a clear path.

The administration’s current stance on marijuana reform is marked by inaction, despite campaign promises and earlier signals of support for cannabis-related reforms. A White House official recently confirmed that “no action is being considered at this time” regarding marijuana policy, leaving advocates and industry stakeholders uncertain about the administration’s priorities.

During his campaign, the resident expressed support for rescheduling marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which would move it from Schedule I to Schedule III, easing restrictions on medical use and enabling cannabis businesses to access banking and tax benefits. However, since taking office, no concrete steps have been taken to advance this initiative. A DEA hearing on rescheduling, initially planned for January 2025, was postponed due to procedural appeals and remains unscheduled.

The president has also voiced support for state autonomy in cannabis policy and endorsed state-level legalization initiatives, such as Florida’s failed 2024 ballot measure for recreational marijuana. While this reflects a more favorable stance compared to his first term, his administration has yet to prioritize federal reforms like the SAFE Banking Act, which would facilitate banking services for cannabis businesses. Efforts to include such measures in a government funding bill late last year were unsuccessful.

The delay in federal action has significant implications for the cannabis industry. Rescheduling marijuana could alleviate financial burdens by eliminating restrictions under IRS Code Section 280E and promoting medical research. However, the stalled process leaves businesses navigating regulatory uncertainties and limited financial access.

While stakeholders continue lobbying for reform, the administration appears focused on other priorities such as immigration and foreign policy. Advocates hope the President will leverage his influence to advance cannabis reform, but for now, the issue remains sidelined. Until then the industry struggles and waits.

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april fools

The History Behind April Fool’s Day

Published

2 days ago

April 1, 2025

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Love it or hate it – April Fool’s Day is here to stay…and here is the history behind this unique tradition

From Britain to India, it is a popular day of pranks, laughs and silliness. From Google to Burger King has participated and some people spend endless hours planning the perfect joke. But what is the history behind April Fool’s Day? It is celebrated annually on April 1, is a global tradition marked by pranks and jokes. Despite its widespread popularity, the origins of this playful holiday remain uncertain, with several theories tracing its roots to different historical events and cultural practices.

Both April Fools’ Day and Día de Los Inocentes mark days when people play practical jokes on one another. April Fools’ Day is primarily celebrated in English-speaking countries, while Día de Los Inocentes is more widely marked in Spanish-speaking countries. A key way Día de Los Inocentes differs from April Fools’ Day is it celebrated on December 28th every year

Some of the most famous April Fool’s pranks include The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest, where the BBC broadcast a segment showing peasants harvesting spaghetti from trees in Switzerland. Another notable prank was when radio station KGB-FM in San Diego announced that the Space Shuttle was landing at a local airport, drawing over 1,000 people. Google has also been known for its annual April Fool’s jokes, such as the “Hyper Text Coffee Pot Control Protocol”. Additionally, brands like Pornhub have participated with humorous site name changes, such as “Cornhub” and “Hornhub”

One popular theory links April Fool’s Day to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, initiated by Pope Gregory XIII. Before this change, many European countries followed the Julian calendar, where the new year began around late March or early April. Those who continued celebrating the old New Year date were mocked as “April fools,” giving rise to the holiday’s name and customs.

A Burger Kind April Fool's prank....

Another theory suggests that April Fool’s Day may have originated from ancient spring festivals such as Rome’s Hilaria or India’s Holi. Hilaria, celebrated in late March, involved games, disguises, and mockery of neighbors, while Holi featured playful pranks and joyous festivities marking the arrival of spring.

The first definitive reference to April Fool’s Day comes from a 1561 Flemish poem by Eduard de Dene. In this humorous tale, a nobleman sends his servant on absurd errands for nonexistent items, a prank still known as a “fool’s errand.” This poem solidifies April Fool’s Day as an established tradition by the late Middle Ages.

In France, the day became known as poisson d’avril (“April fish”), where children would pin paper fish on unsuspecting friends’ backs. This tradition symbolizes gullibility, likening victims to young fish easily caught.

By the 18th century, April Fool’s Day had spread across Europe and North America. In Scotland, it evolved into “Gowkie Day,” where people were sent on wild goose chases. The following day, “Tailie Day,” involved pranks like pinning “kick me” signs on others. Media outlets also began participating in the holiday by publishing fake headlines and stories—a tradition that continues today.

While the exact origin remains debated, April Fool’s Day thrives as an opportunity for lighthearted fun worldwide. Its enduring appeal lies in its ability to bring laughter and mischief into everyday life, transcending cultural boundaries and historical uncertainties.

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comfort food

Does Comfort Food Actually Help

Published

2 days ago

March 31, 2025

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When sick or sad, people gravitate to comfort food – but does it make a difference?

Everyone gets down, stressed or just in a mood, and a number of people wants something to make them feel good. Comfort food is a go to indulgence which lifts the spirts. In North America, some top comfort foods include pot roast, lasagna, chocolate, ice cream and cookies….around the world it includes rice, yogurt, pizza, ramen, and boeuf bourguignon. It is an excuse to enjoy favorite flavors, but does comfort food actually help?

The answer is nuanced, as comfort foods can provide both emotional relief and potential drawbacks depending on the individual and circumstances. Comfort food has been shown to improve mood temporarily, especially for emotional eaters. Studies suggest that the palatability of food plays a significant role in mood enhancement, with tastier foods providing greater comfort during moments of sadness or stress. Emotional eaters often experience satisfaction and mood improvement after consuming comfort food, while non-emotional eaters may not derive the same benefit, particularly under stress. Additionally, comfort foods can evoke nostalgia and positive memories, acting as social surrogates that remind individuals of meaningful connections and moments of belonging.

vanilla flavor ice cream with chocolate syrup

From a physiological perspective, consuming sweet and fatty comfort foods can release dopamine and serotonin, chemicals linked to pleasure and mood elevation. This process can dampen stress responses in the body by reducing cortisol levels and activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. However, these effects are often short-lived and may lead to unhealthy eating habits if relied upon excessively.

While comfort foods can provide immediate emotional relief, they may also contribute to negative health outcomes if consumed excessively. High-calorie comfort foods rich in sugar and fat are associated with weight gain, metabolic risks, and increased likelihood of depression over time. This creates a feedback loop where individuals turn to unhealthy food to combat stress but experience worsening mental health as a result.

Interestingly, studies show that healthy alternatives like fruits and vegetables can offer similar mood-boosting benefits without the health risks associated with traditional comfort foods. Incorporating omega-3 fatty acids or dark chocolate in moderation can also enhance mood while supporting overall health. Social aspects of eating—such as sharing meals with loved ones—can amplify the emotional benefits of food without overindulgence.

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