"One of my Hinge prompts is: What's the best book you read this year?' and I swipe left on anyone who says a book I don't like, says 29-year-old Ayo*. Someone once replied with a book by Jordan Peterson, which was a massive ick. It's a blunt approach to romance, but Ayo is far from alone. Books have long functioned as cultural shorthand for personality signals of taste and worldview but dating apps have accelerated and intensified that process."
"I prefer contemporary literary fiction or interesting classics in the broadest sense, Ayo says. Authors such as Ben Lerner, Sheila Heti, Annie Ernaux if someone mentions one of those, I'll be impressed and intrigued. And if it's a Fitzcarraldo, I'm more likely to match regardless of whether I've read it or not. The modern dating profile is something of a compressed CV. Saying you love romance might hint at emotional openness; fantasy or sci-fi might suggest nerdiness; poetry gestures at sensitivity; modernism at seriousness."
Dating profiles use book mentions as fast, legible cultural signals that convey taste, personality and worldview. Readers often judge potential partners by named authors or genres, with certain authors or titles prompting strong attraction or repulsion. Contemporary literary fiction and classic references serve as markers of seriousness, sensitivity, or nerdiness depending on genre. Dating apps have increased the prevalence and visibility of these signals, with UK Tinder bios mentioning reading rising 29% and 41% among women. On Feeld, about 7% of UK profiles mention reading; users who connect with other readers report almost 10% higher likelihood of a meaningful connection. A significant portion of Americans value partners who read regularly.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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