If Science Could Match You With Your Soulmate
Would you let it?
I’ve been watching a show called Soulmates. And a little while ago I watched The One. Both are based in a world where scientists have developed a test that matches people with their perfect partners. We’re not talking compatibility quizzes and chemistry questionnaires. We’re talking retina scans and DNA analyses. The tests are rooted in biological research. Foolproof. You will find your person.
Guaranteed.
Is this cause for comfort or alarm?
Such a concept takes the guesswork out of the process. But it also removes the magic. It eliminates the organic saw him from across the room and instantly knew they were the one moments. It renders the path to getting to know someone and building something special over time obsolete. But maybe that’s OK if you get what you want in the end, and you get it faster. I do wonder, however, if the destination can be as fulfilling without the journey.
In the shows, characters believe they’ve found their person because science told them so. It’s the self-fulfilling prophecy, mostly. The results could be legitimate or complete garbage. The power of the mind and curiosity of the heart draw them toward that person.
