Neil Strauss

Los hombres lo negarán. Las mujeres no lo creerán. Pero la eficacia del método es del 100%. ¿Objetivo del método?: hacer del arte de llevarse mujeres a la cama una ciencia exacta. El autor, Neil Strauss, es un periodista de mucho prestigio que fue durante un tiempo crítico de música del New York Times y es autor de varios no-ficción de gran éxito. Strauss se infiltró en un grupo creciente en USA que se podría definir como "maestros de la seducción", un grupo de hombres que contactan por internet, siguen a un maestro o gurú que imparte cursos presenciales (al parecer hay varios, con distintas técnicas y enfoques, y uno de los que aparece –Mystery– es el personaje que inspiró a Tom Cruise en Magnolia) y dedican su vida a perfeccionar la técnica de llevarse mujeres a la cama. Tienen su código de honor, un lenguaje propio, trucos y técnicas supuestamente infalibles.… (mer)

I read seven years ago apparently, and I remember really enjoying it. While I was rereading it, I kept wondering why I had liked it so much. Not because it was bad (it isn't, it's well-written and interesting), but just why had I such a positive memory of a book that seems to be all about how to survive in the wilderness with nothing but a knife, staying alive at all costs and slicing the throat of innocent goats? I'm not really into the idea that people only care about themselves.

And then the last thirty pages happened and I was like "OH, that's why!". Because it's not cynical. It actually touches on something that I myself have realized in the past year, which is that spending your time helping others and seeing the lengths people are willing to go to help out? It makes you not feel, but see that the world is a better place than we often are allowed to believe. And that's probably more important than being able to live off roots for a few days.

(That said I am alreday in prepper mode and I plan on getting an emergency kit so I can survive a week without electricity and water in my apartment. That's what the government expect you to do these days. But I will obviously share that shit with people who might need my help, 'cause I'm not a dick.)… (mer)

See, I've been putting off reading this for a long time (even when I read all the other Neil Strauss books a couple of years back), because I knew this would happen. I would enjoy it, and now what? Now I'm a person who actually enjoys The Game of all fucking books. How do I live with myself?

Tbf, everyone sells this book as 'that book that teaches guys to be mean to women to get laid' and that's not really what it is. It's not surprising people think that, because it was sold to EVERYONE like that, and the author himself is extremely douchey about it in the beginning of the book. But that's the point, of course. You gotta pretend, you gotta get into it to really get to the bottom of what it's about.

And yes, parts of it is about negging and doing dumb shit, but when you get down to it, the PUAs have really only figured out three things: 1) women like to have sex almost as much as men, 2) if you actually talk to women about interesting things and don't creep on them all night your chances of having said sex will increase with 1000% percent and 3) ... okay I don't have a good third thing but point two is long enough to count. But really, that's all there is. Talk to women, give them space to breathe occassionally and take a chance and you're good to go. Oh wait, the third thing is confidence!! Act like people are gonna like you and they probably will.

It's not rocket science.

But ofc, these dudes can't leave it to that, because you can't take 1500 dollar per workshop by only selling those three points, so they add all the unnecessary shit, like long scripts, stupid clothing and magician acts because it's not a lifestyle if it's not dumb. And if it's a lifestyle and online, lonely dudes are gonna find it, and two years down the road you're gonna realize that you did get a lot of sex women but you also found yourself in the gigantic online group wank with a bunch of other dudes. You won't have made any lasting or interesting connections.

And that's the point everyone who shits on this book misses, that in the end Neil Strauss doesn't find his girlfriend by playing The Game. Yes, playing the game put them in each other's spheres, but that's how it is with life experiences, they will change you. But it wasn't negging or scripts or fancy hats that made them find each other, it was being social, interesting and real. It's not exactly subtle in the end, but of course, people want to have opinions.

Don't get me wrong, the book is gross in many ways, but not everything has to be pretty. Sometimes you meet some fucked up but interesting characters along the way, and that's a good story to read.

I would like to read a follow-up to this, not about hard it was for Neil Strauss to form lasting relationships afterwards like he did, but how this book has shaped the insane incel culture and male entitlement that is now rampant online. I have feeling those things are deeply linked.… (mer)