I have a completely different take on this, Tynan.
I think people's tendencies to discredit pick-up artistry has to do with some fundamentals that are hard to ignore.
I don't think people in general buy the altruistic angle that you and the pick-up community are trying to sell. At the heart of pickup, it's not about making everybody better people at the end of the day, no matter how many times you say it. It's about deceiving and manipulating people to get what you want. Period. There is no way around that.
You can spin it and try to make a case for altrustism, as you often do, but anyone with an analytical bone in their body can see that the fundamental mechanics of the game are based in deception and manipulation, which are far from altruistic qualities.
The show on VH1 is a perfect example of this. Those guys (the pick-up artists) come off as nothing more than novel greasebags, if not just silly little men.
I don't mean this as an attack, I'm just trying to paint a very clear picture of my perception, and what I assume to be many other's perceptions as well.
By the way, I saw a girl wearing your hat for a split second on the show. Nice work.
Sorry I missed you in NY, maybe next time.