In search of the elusive compatibility

If natural selection has gone into the survival of the living organisms through a process of adaptation and change relative to a particular environment, compatibility between individuals with variations in traits should also play a part in continuation of life in different forms. To today's geeks, compatibility testing means software testing for correctly functioning across diverse computing environments, including operating systems, browsers, devices and network configurations. But the examinations and comparisons of gadgets or gizmos follows certain theories based on logarithms, in case of living organisms no such computing is discernible.

Decoding gene or genome sequencing may have given an insight into the particular species' map of being so but not why and how the particular genetic chemistry happened to give it the common identity and then formed diversity of traits in members of the same species. The inter-species sharing of genes is as much complex as it is mysterious. Similarly complex and mysterious are the attraction one individual feels for another to become life-long mates or couples for a short duration.

The breeding season of birds sees a hyperactivity of flaunting of qualities to their limits by males mostly. Usually, it is the male of the winged creatures that are more colourful and the female are off-colour. Peacock serves as the best example where a male is not only gorgeous but also dances to please its female counterpart. A peahen is not gifted with the best of attributes nor can she dance. In fact, she does not require to. Males compete with each other for her favour. When she says 'yes' to one of the rivals vying for her favour, a match is made. The majority of birds follow this rule but not all become partners for life, many of them do.

In animal world, some are promiscuous and where they live in groups or in large herds, there are not many options for such selections. It is the dominant male of the group that reserves the right to mate with the female kind. But then there are the 'alfa female', as in a group of wild dogs, and the matriarch in a herd of elephants, which rule the roost. Interestingly, when male elephant calves are about to mature into adulthood, they are driven out of the herd to ensure that no inbreeding takes place. Does it have anything with the intelligence hierarchy of animals? Elephants are considered highly intelligent. Similar thing happens in a herd of lions but none of the sisters in a clan of the lionesses are the leader, it is the dominant lion that is responsible for protecting the herd from invaders and at times the fight for taking the rein of the herd turns violent not to rule out death or fatal injuries.

How do the human species which stands the tallest on the scale of intelligence and rationality fare in this context of compatibility and reproduction. The human kinds have invented rhetoric like "marriages are made in the heaven" or "made for each other". Well, it would be a travesty of truth if it is not admitted that such high ideals are not maintained at all. Indeed, those are the rare few couples who rise up to the high ideals of conjugal life. But at a time when gender war is on, matchmaking of such standards is elusive.

Well, Indian epics like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana make it amply clear that at least the princesses, if not the girls of the lower echelon of society, enjoyed the liberty of selecting the best suitor among the whole lot of princes in what was called a "Sayambar Shava" arranged by kings, fathers of the princesses. In such a competition, however, strength, valour and the archery skill clinched the day for the winner. Otherwise, the might of the warrior conqueror settled the issue.

In modern time, though, matchmaking has become tougher than any time before. In Western society, dating is a way of selecting the right partner. But it cannot be said that such freedom of knowing each other as deeply as possible make the match perfect. Many live together without marriage and even have their babies. In conservative societies, such arrangements are looked down upon. But a society which is a mix of conservatism and liberalism, both arranged marriage and love marriages are in vague. There is, however, no telling that one serves the couples better than the other. Even after steady relationships, couples may find each other intolerable while in an arranged marriage, the duo who had no prior idea of the other, happily live ever after.

Compatibility is a complex matter that may have genetic contributions to the making of a relationship. In case of intellectual difference, choices and preferences for day-to-day practical issues, relations can be enriching or toxic. Now that artificial intelligence (AI) has started penetrating into the individuals' personal history with the compilation of various habits and traits, can it also shed light on the realm of emotion and passion? If it could, prediction on compatibility between two individuals either fatally attracted or otherwise agreeing to live together would be of some help to avert a disastrous conjugal life.