Why you’re attracted to the unexpected

The argument between three of us started when a friend gushed over a rather strange-looking person and I tried to view him from her perspective.

Our third friend pulled up her nose and stated outright there was nothing that attracted her to him.

So why does one person’s smile melt your heart and another’s make you want to join a monastery?

Scientists have theories, poets write sonnets and your aunt blames it on horoscopes. But deep down, we all know the truth: it’s mostly nonsense… and hilariously unpredictable.

You walk into a room. One person looks like they stepped out of a toothpaste commercial.

Another looks like they stepped on a rake. Yet. somehow, you’re drawn to the one with slightly crooked teeth and an alarming obsession with bonsai trees.

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Why? Because humans are weird.

Sometimes it’s the voice. Sometimes it’s the laugh. Sometimes it’s how they say “braaivleis” with confidence.

Attraction isn’t logical – it’s a rogue GPS system that ignores the highway and insists on scenic, chaotic routes.

Experts say we’re wired to seek out “genetic compatibility.”

Apparently, we’re sniffing each other without realising it. Pheromones – those invisible love potions we emit – can spark chemistry faster than a romcom montage. It’s nature’s way of saying: “Your DNA and my DNA could make decent future tax deductions.”

Ever fallen for someone who snorts when they laugh? That’s the magic sauce: weirdness that syncs with our own.

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On the flip side, there are folk who should be attractive “on paper” but make your soul sigh. Maybe it’s the way they say “koeksister”. Maybe it’s their refusal to return shopping carts. Who knows? Human attraction is as consistent as a toddler with a marker.

Ever had someone declare their undying love while your brain’s screaming “run”? There’s no polite way to explain that your internal chemistry has filed a restraining order. They might be kind, funny, and volunteer with puppies, but for some reason… nope.

It’s not them. It’s biology. Or astrology. Or maybe the way their eyebrows move independently.

We’re all hot messes with preferences we don’t understand. The heart wants what it wants. And sometimes, it wants someone with an odd laugh, a bad haircut and an alarming love for vintage vacuum cleaners. And if they don’t like you back? Hey, don’t take it personally.

They’re probably just sniffing for a different pheromone.

And that’s science. Kind of.

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