I had no idea something like this existed. I just stumbled across it accidentally.
I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind.
Do you guys use these books and tehniques for casually picking up girls or do you use it for finding girlfriends as well? And what is it like with your girlfriends? I mean, do you use the books and this forum for the problems in the relationship? Do you plan on getting a wife the same way, if you're going to get married?
I'm just wondering about your view on women and relationships. Do you think manipulation is necessary in a relationship? Do you think it cannot work without it? What kind of girls are your "targets"?
Feel free to say nothing at all, if you'd like

I've read a few posts but I guess I'm still confused a bit.
Don't think I'm judging you or anything, though, I'm just curious

Have a nice day!

One of the "gurus", the guy who first popularized all this stuff, Neil Strauss, said something that really resonated with me. After getting himself a long term girlfriend (and later wife), he said something along the lines of "she fell for me not because of the lines or the routines or for any of that, but for the real me, formy own individual unique personality, but without the techniques, I never would have been confident enough for her to meet the real me". That's how I personally look at this, not as a way to manipulate and pickup girls necessarily (though every guy wants a one night stand from time to time), but as a way to be able to form positive connections with girls and bring them into my life in a bigger way. Sometimes I meet a girl at the bar and yeah I do want to "game" her and bring her home for a night of fun, sometimes I want to take her out for coffee and dinner and form a healthy long term relationship, sometimes I just meet someone cool who I want in my life as a friend. I strongly believe that each relationship ( I mean a series of interactions between two people, not necessarily a romantic relationship) carves out its own path and pick up gets me in the door to experience those relationships. Every guy is different, some do want one night stands, some want girlfriends, some want wives, but I think for a lot of guys, guys like myself, it's just a way to bring more women into their lives in a wide variety of ways.

As for relationships, I don't think manipulation is necessary, no. That said if you have a good grasp of the fundamentals of solid game- not the lines or routines, but the principles which underlie them- you can apply those fundamental principles to build a happier relationship and to hang onto someone you really care about when you otherwise might have lost them. Relationships can work without injecting anything to do with pickup 100%, but adding it to the equation can be helpful sometimes from a guy's perspective.

As far as targets, that hugely varies. I like to stick to the "3 second rule"- if you see a girl, you approach her within 3 seconds before you get nervous- so anyone who catches my eye, either through their beauty, their sense of style or their attitude can potentially become a target.

Hope this helps!

-Maverick

I wish there was a like button for this comment man. Exact how I feel.

Philosophus basically described my own upbringing. At this time last year, I had failed to get the one girl who I thought really was for me, and I was frustrated with how I was doing socially and with all girls in general. One night, while I was reflecting on how I wanted to get this one girl on Facebook, I had the light bulb moment that Google would have the answer. That is where I found Neil Strauss and the world of pickup. At first, I screwed up a lot of different things, but then after a couple thousand hours of hard work, it finally all clicked in for me, and that was when I started seeing the results that I really wanted.

I have not only used pickup to become successful with women, but I have also used it to become successful in the social scene. I am now a major leader in one of my college's fraternities, and I have commandeered the respect of many. I have a girlfriend that is finally within my own interests, and all of these things have left me the happiest I have ever been in my life.

People like us flock towards the game because it promises something better for those who need it. We are the have-nots, men who always had problems getting the kind of girls we really wanted in life. Being autistic, I was basically at ground zero when it came to understanding how to get the kind of women I really wanted.

The idea that pickup artists "manipulate" is a false stigmatism. It is also an unfortunate thing that some rookies learning pickup for the first time also believe. There is no magical trick or special thing that will get girls to jump all over you. Almost everything that relates to pickup is about inner game. In other words, in order to get the girl of our dreams, we have to change the things that we do.

As for my targets, I have a list of physical qualities that I look for in a girl. If she has at least one of them, then she is a go. Once I start chatting with her and getting to know her, then I do another check. If she satisfies the majority of the social requirements I look for, then she is an all clear to advance things with her.

Hope my two cents helps you to understand who we are a bit better. Cheers