A shared love of Wagner is as good a reason as any to shag someone.
Or at least that's the reasoning behind Hhhhello, the new dating site that has dispensed with the tall, dark, GSOH model to match people based on the culture they like. I'm not convinced.
Neither am I entirely sure why I received the siren call to girdle my virtual loins, but I can only assume I must be the most famous single person in London. And that restriction to the capital is purely arbitrary.
Hhhello seems a slightly more sophisticated proposition than the more familiar booze + the opposite (or relevant) sex = true (if fleeting) love. Try new group dating site Grouper if that's your bag. For the more romantic, Hhhello is targeted at "creative curious types”. Although is anyone ever anything else these days?
The awkward profile blurb – that modern substitute for the window into one's soul – is replaced by a collage of photos, videos and a soundtrack. So far, so good right? I can finally tell if someone is culturally compatible with me; more specifically, whether we can while away the hours musing over bad Hip Pop, translating Austro-Hungarian novellas, Scottish dancing, early Manet. Gosh, I'm quirky.
Although dynamics in my love life more often resemble those between Titania and Bottom (roles interchangeable), the gold standard has to be Benedict and Beatrice. In all the best romances, Cupid's arrows start off barbed before softening (cf. 10 Things I Hate About You, Clueless, She's All That). I'm not saying mutual hatred is necessarily a good thing (cf. Christmas with my family) but it’s the fastest way of bringing people together.
Of course, they initially have to please physically (I'm a sucker for tall men with noble noses) and that’s why Tinder is genius. And we all have our personal checklists. I am automatically suspicious of any men who 1. Are vegetarian; 2. Vote Lib-Dem (although political apathy is worse); 3. Actively like cats; 4. Still live with their mother; 5. Wear cardigans (and it's worse if they’re Topman).
After those hurdles I'm usually anyone's fair – being the operative word – game but what better way to start a first date than by discussing cultural pet hates? A shared dislike of Stephen Fry (can't stand him), Coldplay (but I heart Gwyneth), Owen Jones, Michel Gondry, Harry Potter, Monty Python (don't get it) and Keira Knightley is the cement in a relationship.
Who cares if they like David Foster Wallace? I'd far rather find someone who thinks Jonathan Franzen is overrated. Uniting against a common enemy immediately creates a bond against the world. And that's why Hhhello has got it wrong when it comes to matchmaking. Find someone who hates the same things you hate; it may not make you more open-minded but it’ll get you talking.
I’d also add that if you’re looking to date someone creative, chances are they’ll work in a creative industry. What could be better than a boyfriend or girlfriend who understands when you have to stay in to perfect that GIF, refine that final paragraph, or learn your lines? So I like to combine my love networking with professional activity. My tip would be to forget the dating sites and get straight onto IdeasTap. Find someone to edit your short film who you can repay in a different currency. Long term, LinkedIn is better than Tinder.
People have caught on to this. A guy, with whom I suffered an ill-fated fling, tried to redeem himself by endorsing me on LinkedIn. For my editing skills. When it came to him, I put them to use.
The opinions expressed in The Columnist do not necessarily represent those of IdeasTap.
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