The Ratio / Ratioed
![Ratioed_twitter](https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/facebook/000/022/864/Ratioed_Twitter.jpg)
Confirmed 568,400
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About • Origin • Spread • Various Examples • Search Interest • External References • Recent Images • Recent Videos |
About
The Ratio or Ratioed refers to an unofficial Twitter law which states that if the amount of replies to a tweet greatly outnumbers the number of retweets and likes, then the tweet is bad. Additionally, "to ratio" a tweet means to make a quote retweet or reply that manages to get more likes and retweets than the quoted post.
Origin
The Ratio began being noticed on Twitter in early 2017. On March 7th, Twitter user @85mf[1] tweeted a screenshot of a tweet by House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz which had 701 replies yet only 23 retweets and 108 likes. He captioned it, "Nothing on this site makes me happier than reply-to-RT ratios like this. That is the ratio of someone who fuuuuucked up" (shown below, left). On March 15th, user @Brilligerent[2] tweeted "If the Replies:RT ratio is greater than 2:1, you done messed up" (shown below, right).
![The Ratio of a Man Who F----- Up Mike @85mf Mar7 INothing on this site makes me happier than reply-to-RT ratios like this. That is the ratio of someone who fuuuuucked up. Jason Chaffetz Φ @jasoninthehouse-5h Full Committee Business Meeting via @gopoversight oversight.house.gov/ markup/full-co... わ701 ﹀ 23 108 わ14 3 28](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/250/083/7c1.png)
![The Rule Brian @Briligerent + Follow If the Replies:RT ratio is greater than 2:1, you done messed up. RETWEETSLIKES 27 63](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/250/087/4c4.png)
Spread
On April 11th, Luke O'Neil of Esquire[3] published an article in which he outlined the theory of The Ratio, bringing the theory its widest audience yet. O'Neil referenced several tweets related the the United Airlines Passenger Removal as examples of The Ratio at work. He illustrated how United Airlines' tweeted response about the incident gained over 61,000 replies and merely 6,700 likes, and that the 10:1 ratio was evidence of the tweet's poor reception.
![United Gets Bitten United @united + Follow ﹀ United CEO response to United Express Flight 3411 This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers. Our team is moving with a sense of urgency to work with the authorities and conduct our own detailed review of what happened. We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve this situation -Oscar Munoz, CEO, United Airlines RETWEETSLIKES 20,863 6,717 9:27 AM -10 Apr 2017 from Houston, TX わ61K 21K 6.7K](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/250/089/32e.jpg)
The Independent[7] wrote about O'Neil's Ratio Law two days after the article was published in Esquire. Following O'Neil's article, Weird Twitter and leftist Twitter began to take notice of ratios on particularly bad or controversial tweets. Popular examples include a tweet by Virginia gubernatorial candidate Corey Stewart,[4] who tweeted "Nothing is worse than a Yankee telling a Southerner that his monuments don't matter." Twitter user @Papapishu[5] pointed out that the tweet's Ratio, which at the time stood at 1.4 thousand replies to 38 retweets, was "off the charts" (shown below).
![Chris Person Tweet 1.4K 38 間78 Chris Person Papapishu Apr 25 dear god the ratio on this is off the charts pic.twitter.com/eqMYzlgbNf](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/250/092/34a.png)
On April 26th, O'Neil published another article in Esquire[6] about The Ratio, investigating a tweet by CNN pundit Chris Cillizza[8] in which he linked to an article he wrote in defense of Ivanka Trump which as of May 2nd, 2017, has over 1,400 replies and only 23 retweets (shown below).
![Chris Cillizza Defense Chris Cillizza @CillizzaCNN Follow A defense of lvanka Trump cnn.com/2017/04/25/pol RETWEETS LIKES 23 41](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/250/095/5a3.png)
Various Examples
![The Ratio The ratio Paul Ryan@SpeakerRyan 44rm VERIFIED: MacArthur Amendment strengthens AHCA, protects people with pre-existing conditions. VERIFIED: MacArthur Amendment Strengthens AHCA, Protects People with Pre... speaker.gov 1,331 2-55 132](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/001/250/104/a42.png)
![Westbrook-like Performance It's early, but we're on track for a new record for The Ratio. A Westbrook-like performance by the king. Chris Cillizza. @CillizzaCNN-11m A defense of Ivanka Trump cnn.com/2017/04/25/po...](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/001/250/098/49a.png)
![WROAT? Nevin not only wins the worst take of all time from last night, but also the worst ratio of all time. Nolan Thomas @NolanAThomas Replying to @D2_Derpinator No the answer is better Law En forcement to deter people from taking Illegal drugs. Nobody forces you to take drugs, its a choice. 9:38pm 1 May 2017 Twitter Web Client 24 REPLIES](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/001/250/099/b2e.png)
![Ratio Never Fails the ratio ruly never fails Albert Breer AlbertBreer Is it horrible to want some proof? I probably been to 200 games at Fer life. Never heard a slur yelled at a p Femi Abebefe aSWXFem Replying to AlbertBreer &SimplyAJ10 Lol why would he lie about it? Good lord Breer. RETWEETS LKES 18 10:28 AM-2 May 2017 わ133 18 86 86](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/001/250/102/5a9.png)
![Paul Ryan, Ratio Master Paul Ryan masters the ratio like no one else Paul Ryan VERIFIED: MacArthur Amendment strengthens AHCA, protects people with pre-existing conditions 59 VERIFIED MacArthur Amendment Strengthens AHCA, Protects People with P ene how the MacArthur amendment epe us lower premiume tere while keeping protectione for the ost vuinenabie in piace](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/001/250/103/1ac.png)
![Neither the Ball Nor the Ratio Lie ball don't lie, and neither does the ratio Albert Breer@AlbertBreer Is it horrible to want some proof? I dunno. I've probably been to 200 games at Fenway in my life. Never heard a slur yelled at a player. twitter.com/SWXFemi/status](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/001/250/101/648.png)
Search Interest
Unavailable.
External References
[2] Twitter – @Brilligerent
[3] Esquire – How to Know If You've Sent a Horrible Tweet
[4] Twitter – @CoreyStewartVA
[5] Twitter – @Papapishu
[6] Esquire – RatioWatch: An Exclusive Interview With Some People Who Retweeted A Bad Tweet About Ivanka
[7] The Independent – How To Know How Well You Use Twitter
[8] Twitter – @Cillizza's Defense
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