More or Less: Behind the Stats
Are 80% of women really only attracted to 20% of men?
Apr 29, 2025
Marina Adshade, a professor at the Vancouver School of Economics, dives into the provocative claim that 80% of women are attracted to only 20% of men. She dissects its origins and the ethical pitfalls of using Tinder data to back this assertion. The discussion extends to how this myth fuels misogyny and radicalization among young men, as seen in the Netflix series 'Adolescence.' Adshade challenges the reliability of dating app trends, revealing that dating is often more nuanced than the simplistic 80-20 rule suggests.
08:57
Episode guests
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- The claim that 80% of women are attracted to only 20% of men is rooted in flawed research and misconceptions about dating dynamics.
- Dating apps distort perceptions of attraction by promoting misleading interactions, leading to a false narrative of men's disadvantages in the dating market.
Deep dives
The Origins of the 80-20 Rule
The concept that 80% of women are attracted to only 20% of men is often linked to the Pareto principle, originally identified by an Italian economist. This principle suggests that a small percentage of individuals often control a large portion of resources or outcomes, and its application to dating has raised skepticism. The claim gained traction from a viral blog post claiming that 27 women were surveyed about their swiping habits on Tinder, but the methodology of this self-styled 'research' was deeply flawed. The individual conducting the survey misled participants, introducing significant ethical concerns and undermining the validity of the results.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
