One of my favourite websites is Jezebel. They’re consistently awesome and hilarious, and they provide intelligent commentary on current events. Today, dinking around on the internet (as I do), I read their write-up of this Radar article about lessons for men in picking up. And I gotta say: yikes. I know it’s hard for guys to approach women, but three thousand dollars? For lessons in being a sleazebag?
The reason this sort of thing creeps me right out is the underlying sexism. Women are set up as prizes–prizes that can be easily manipulated. Having programmed responses for every possible reaction to whatever line you try cuts out any spontaneity and precludes any interest in what your target actually says.
For me, if a guy approaches me, smiles with a real sense of humour, and ironically uses a hoary old line on me, I’d probably talk to him. A shared acknowledgement of the ridiculous necessity of it all, rather than a slickly packaged come-on, is what I’d prefer. You have thoughts, I have thoughts–let’s talk about those, and leave the scripts at home.
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I just thought of the next book you need to borrow, Suzie: The Game. You can see the pick-up artist community from thge inside. (I do not have a good reason for owning a copy of this.)
Even if you came up with a good reason, I wouldn’t believe you. I am, however, possessed with a certain morbid interest in reading said book. This way I can read it without spending any money, AND I can judge you for owning it! Win-win for me!