Christian and I have been sorting through stats requests from last week. “Are Some People’s Lives More Valuable Than Others?” will be getting graphed soon, among other match questions, and we’ll also break down last week’s graphs by gender. Some of the new graphs will be global, too. Or even Canadian.
In the meantime, I thought I’d share a toy we’ve been working on: a chart generator that converts your match questions into a printable pdf file, a visualization of your dating decision process. It takes potential suitors on a path from “Hello” to burning rejection. Or to a first date. All using the questions you marked as “mandatory” on OkCupid.
Here’s my graph, the flowchart to my heart, generated by my answers and preferences. Click through to the pdf or larger image to see the full glory.
chriscoyne’s flowchart
Now you know how I determine if I’ll go on a date with someone, though I have to say that because I’m married and I wanted my match percentage with my wife be as high as possible I’ve asked to match with other married people—that’s not really my general dating m.o.
Anyhow, it’s interesting to see these important questions all in one place. I (like most people) don’t consider myself a collection of opinions about radically divergent issues, but these questions are all crucial for me. I’m allergic to cats and catlike beasts. I fully expect someone to know that $1.00 plus 50% then minus 50% is $0.75. And I can’t deal with religious people. If I were still single and found someone who navigated this graph successfully I’d have certainly said yes to at least a first date. And then it would’ve been up to chemistry and the wine.
![OkCupid Rules](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="114" height="120"><rect fill-opacity="0"/></svg>)
Thoughts? I’d love to hear them. If you post a comment, please start by saying where you ended up on my flowchart, the one above. OkCupid users can expect this toy to be available to them in the next couple weeks. Until then, here’s another example from someone on the site.
The below chart is from a girl in London who proclaims herself “a tough ass to crack.” Indeed. She allowed me to post the image, but not the full pdf, so I can only give you an arm’s length view of a very complicated personality. This is what “dying alone” looks like as a png.
user X’s flowchart
Printed at a pleasant and readable resolution, this graph is 10 feet tall. And the best wallpaper ever. We’ve printed out a couple of these things and they look really cool—definitely frame-worthy. Do you think yours will end up this complicated?
In other news: 32,000 people read our first blog post! Sadly, Diggy still rejected it because I used the word “rape” in the title.
Also, OkCupid co-founder Sam has started tweeting site news. If you find these blog posts interesting, add him on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/okcupid. He’ll let you know when Christian and I post new findings.
Wow, that chicks flow chart is AMAZING. I want one so hard!
I just wanted to say that I almost ended up as “Only if you’re paying” on your chart, but don’t believe soliciting prostitutes is a victimless crime. Soooo many OKC questions like that – interesting concept with poor delivery…
We’re a match ^^ If you weren’t married and I wasn’t seeing someone, we would be, I mean.![:P](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="15" height="15"><rect fill-opacity="0"/></svg>)
Interesting stuff!
I’d get a date, but only if I paid…LOL.
What if we’re teaching creationism in an anthropological sense i.e. “This is what some people believe.” ? I think that this is important almost as strongly as I think that creationism has no place in science classes.
I’m definitely looking forward to this feature becoming available en mass.
We wouldn’t be a match. And I seriously can’t wait until this becomes available.
Will this be available? I’d love to see mine.
(Also, I ended up on “Only if you’re paying” – I went off the tracks because I own a cat. Sorry!)
You only date married people? You sure you want that in your flowchart?
Please, please make a “generate your flowchart” feature for the website!!! Also, Digg sucks.
So this was emailed to me. Thought I saved it, and now I can’t find it. Is it available on OKC someplace?
We would have gone on a first date, but realized quickly that we were both guys. Bravo, and can I work for you? Flow charts are man’s greatest gift to visual thinkers. Can you please try and get permission to post her whole .pdf?
I got to “Only if you’re Paying” because I have cats. Lots of little furry beasts, but that would probably be a deal breaker on my end anyway, so we’re even.![:-)](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="15" height="15"><rect fill-opacity="0"/></svg>)
This is very interesting. I just wanted to stop by and say this blog alone might get me to sign up for OKC. I’ve never even thought about it before, but a friend posted the most recent “results by race” on FB and it caught my attention. So, thanks for a fascinating read.
I didn’t know you were and advocate of the poly thing
I tried to take your flowchart, and I think I ended up in the ditch. I don’t know that there should be public schools at all. Mankind *is* a primate, by definition, and I’m not sure how “did X evolve from X” evaluates. Does “smoking” mean tobacco only, and what about those smokeless electronic cigarettes? Where did you get the idea that prostitution, suicide, etc., are victimless?
I think I fail. At least I got the arithmetic problem right.
Very cool feature. It seems we’re compatible for a first date, only we’re both guys so I guess that wouldn’t have worked out given the fact that you’re presumably married to a woman.
I got ‘Success, Let’s do it”. Well, looks like we’ll be going on a date. Although, obviously, you can bring your spouse!
I really enjoyed it as well!
I think it would be interesting to match the desired answers with the actual answers of the people that the person actually has conversations with…
Then it would be possible to create charts such as:
- Important issues to me that I’m most likely to compromise on.
- Flowchart of answers of people that I’m attracted to.
These are gray areas, but I’m sure it’s possible to find the strong questions.
It would also be interesting to match this with the race results that you have posted, such as: “the flowchart to my heart, or she has to be Asian.” (Yes, I crack myself up, I hope you’re looking for volunteers![:P](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="15" height="15"><rect fill-opacity="0"/></svg>)
)
Looks like I’d get a date… but what I really want is a copy of my very own flowchart![:)](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="15" height="15"><rect fill-opacity="0"/></svg>)
Could we have a “size of chart” against gender chart, please
Can’t your chart, and a lot of peoples’charts, basically be shortened to a few deal-breakers – in your case, being stupid, being conservative and really liking cats?
That is one complicated chart!
I absolutely love this, I can’t wait to be able to make one! and I ended up on a date with Chris.
Reading back through all these OKTrend things (they’re quite interesting), but I just had to comment on this one sheerly because of that girls flowchart! It’s incredible. I kind of wish the full pdf had been publshed just to see what all the questions were.
This option is already available on the site. Go to Treasures > The Toy Bin > Flowchart to My Heart
Chris, I have to ask: Are you the Chris Coyne who was once a star of a high-school math team in Minnesota?
I think it was Maine. But, probably, yes he is.
–Christian (not Chris)
Interesting concept. On your chart I end up with “only if you’re paying”. I’d like to see my chart.
Cool numbers. Nothing surprising really, but its great to have numbers to back up more casual observation.
Please do the numbers for the +50 set. Right now I lie about my age to attract more age appropriate guys and updated my pictures somewhat as per your suggestions. I get looked at by guys too young. When I didn’t lie, I got guys soon to be or already retired. I found lying for a couple of years had little effect and upped the lie to almost a decade.
By the way, You e-mailed me a while back but I was at work, didn’t know about your blog and didn’t take you seriously. Sorry!
That would be a good question too: who lies about their age, how much and why.
Another would be about never married or long term singles. I’m finding that even as I become more flexible as I grow older but less compromising about what is important to me, men seem to becoming very set in their ways, period. I’m better off alone.
I would like to be disabused of my more casual observation, but from what I see from your stats here, I have a great track record for having you confirming them.
Also, what happened about the flow chart? I think people woule even pay. BTW except for the cat thing, I might have a chance of meeting you.
Thanks for all the fun,
Cat
I just tried this feature and one of the last questions was “It’s your first date, do you split the bill, pay the whole bill yourself, have them pay the whole bill”, and the “Have them pay the whole bill” arrow was pointing to the “If you’re paying” triangle.
That is most certainly irony.
Is it possible to get one of these yet? Do you take bribes?
lol…. I get no date after 3 questions. Anyway…. When is this coming out for the rest of us? This thing is really cool!