After being bombarded by misleading offers, I came to think of most of the game as a scam. I couldn’t help but get this feeling that Neil Strauss made it public so the community could make money. It sounds a little crazy, but most of this stuff just seemed like pure money making.

You strike me as different.

When a friend asked me where my game was, I realized I had grown socially though. I was content in having increased my knowledge in social dynamics.

I’ve actually decided to make my major in college communications just so I can work on it more. When asked why I always say that people are always going to be talking, it would be best to know what the heck they are saying :).

Thanks for the nomad book, if it’s any good I’ll try and toss you a couple bucks.

Thanks for not being a tool and making me feel like shit.

I liked the references to ninja. I reckon if one was good enough one could “social skills” their way out of a confrontation with an angry ninja.

Just a thought.

Funny enough I just started reading How to Win Friends and Influence People. Brilliant so far. It is pretty old but the way it is written makes it timelessly relevant. I would recommend it to anyone.

I have to agree with you Tynan about social development being an ultimate pro to playing “The Game” or practicing “Pick-Up”… your opinion forged of experience confirms that worthy desires and/or achievements require patience and practice which do indeed pay in dividends.

It’s also exhilerating to sharpen those skills by pushing yourself outside your comfort zone even in many situations other than “pick-up”. Which situations impose less risk though? …falling on your face in a business deal due to lack of confidence as a result of not having well developed social skills, or getting rejected by a girl…or, worse in my opinion, the potential to break a girl’s heart who may actually fall in love with this crazy guy :)

hmmm… i’ve been all over all of those… and as fun as Monkey Island can be, nothing will ever beat facing the challenges of conquest in the real world!! So, the real risk is not taking any risk – that is the risk of living a lame life! Ha!

lame social skills = lame lifestyle

In fact, there should be some type of interactive education in school about this even… hey… ureka! what a novel idea…

“Social skills” is a broad thing. That initial charisma that draws people to you certainly increases the pool from which you can draw friends, but most people I know, even those with crippling social anxiety or whatever, have at least a couple very good friends.

I’ve known many people who practiced the early charisma stuff until they had it down, drew people in, but in the end, aren’t able to be genuine, their mask is a little too solid, and people have trouble connecting with them.

I’d say the most important skill in the world is the presence it takes to let your guard down and experience intimacy. You can do that if you have only one friend in the world, and I think it offers a richer life than hordes of friends if you aren’t comfortable with intimacy.

I guess you can include that under the umbrella of “social skills,” but it seems like a stretch.

I’ve been listening to Pomplamoose’s version of “Nature Boy”, lately, which I love, and especially the message of the lyrics, which, while popularized lately in Moulin Rouge, are almost a hundred years old now: “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”

When you leave college, you’re not going to remember what you got on your chem exam. You’re going to remember the memories you shared with your friends. Socializing is probably the only reason I’m in college.

I couldn’t agree more with your post, Tynan.