May I Meet You

Do NOT follow the advice of low-status men

Sometimes, on rare occasions, there are moments of such cringe that they shake the universe. The decision of billionaire Bill Ackman to enter the lists of the Pick-Up Artists and advisors on intersexual relations just happens to be one of those moments.

I hear from many young men that they find it difficult to meet young women in a public setting. In other words, the online culture has destroyed the ability to spontaneously meet strangers. As such, I thought I would share a few words that I used in my youth to meet someone that I found compelling.

I would ask: ‘May I meet you?’ before engaging further in a conversation. I almost never got a No.

It inevitably enabled the opportunity for a further conversation. I met a lot of really interesting people this way.

I think the combination of proper grammar and politeness was the key to its effectiveness. You might give it a try.

You might, if you want to hear the sound of a woman’s privates sealing themselves hermetically shut in response to your overtures.

Now, let’s put things in perspective. Consider the picture below, which features the billionaire with his second wife, who he married one year after divorcing his wife of 24 years. Just to be clear, rapid remarriage tends to be a sign of low-SSH status, as is considerably underkicking one’s theoretical coverage. This guy could literally buy supermodels in economy size packs, but he couldn’t handle interacting with a single woman who ranked higher than a 7.

Which is great, stay in your lane and avoid setting yourself up for failure. But then perhaps don’t advise other men in the area where you’re not at your best.

This is the billionaire’s trophy wife.

But wait, there’s more!

I failed to mention that this works much more effectively when you are moving. So on subways, elevators, escalators, airplanes, buses, and even walking down the street, it is most effective.

As a general rule, if your advice is immediately transformed into an extended series of mocking memes, it’s probably not very good.

One young man put Mr. Ackman’s advice to the test. It will probably not surprise you to learn that it not go well.

Although I suppose it could be considered breaking the ice. In a way, Although not in a good way.

I read this tweet by Bill Ackman.. the guy runs a hedge fund worth billions. He’s got a wife and seems to have his life together.

So I decided to give it a shot.

Last night I’m at this bar and I see a brunette near the dartboard.

She had on a denim jacket, looked friendly enough. I thought, alright, this is my moment. I walked over, tried to look confident, and said:

“May I meet you?”

She just looked at me. Blank stare, for like three full seconds.

Then she absolutely lost her mind laughing.

I mean full-on can’t-breathe, tears-in-her-eyes laughing.

Her two friends spun around and within seconds they were all dying. One of them had to put her drink down because she was shaking too hard.

“MAY I MEET YOU?” the brunette repeated, mimicking my voice, and they all cracked up again.

Yeah, don’t do that. Meeting women really isn’t that hard. Be direct. Don’t be clever. Don’t be cute. Don’t be indirect. And above all, don’t be weird.

My advice: lock eyes, lift your head a little in a reverse-nod, and say “hey”. If she smiles, lifts her eyebrows, or says something like “hey yourself’ in a coquettish voice, then ask her name and go in for the kill. If she doesn’t respond in a positive manner, or if she rolls her eyes or says something like “what” then just nod and move on without saying anything at all. After all, you’re a man who knows what’s up and when it isn’t up.

Remember, a woman decides in less than three seconds what category you are in for her. So don’t bother wasting any more time on an initial approach than that, and definitely don’t spend that three seconds signaling to her that you are an insecure low-status gentleman who is definitely going to call her “milady” at some point.

Here’s the thing. If, upon further observation of you, she becomes convinced that she initially put you in the wrong box, she will always come find you and let you know that she has changed her mind. Which, after all, is the female prerogative. For those of you who are a little slow with regards to these matters, that’s what’s happening when a girl who initially blew you off subsequently comes and initiates a conversation with you for no reason.

It’s worth noting that a focus on approaching women is a strong indicator of low status, for the obvious reason that if you’re a high-status man, you know that women approach you at least one-third of the time, and probably even more for a man who enjoys a higher status than me. In that case, your main job is to simply be encouraging when she’s working up the courage to come talk to you by smiling at her or otherwise acknowledging her presence.