As anyone who follows my blog or Facebook knows, the two posts that consistently get the most views per month are
What Men Don't Understand When They Complain, "It's Only Creepy If The Guy Isn't Hot and "Creepy" Isn't About Attractiveness. It's About Reciprocity. Due to these posts, I get a handful of private notes and comments thanking me for my encouragement and advice (some formerly creepy guys even have girlfriends now!)... and dozens of butthurt, defensive incels who are mad that I'd give them some basic advice about how to not come across as creepy. After receiving maybe the 100th comment from a man who claims he's determined that no woman will ever find him attractive, so he's just going to give up, I decided to make a post out of the reply I have to keep typing. Here's my reply: Doug, there are 4 billion women on this planet. Surely there are at least a handful who would love you. The developmental feedback I can give you is limited, because I don't actually know you. But here is what I know: Women love confidence. It's not about cockiness and arrogance and dickheadedness (see also: Girls Don't Like Guys BECAUSE They're Jerks. They Like Them DESPITE Being Jerks). It's about autonomy and agency. From an evolutionary perspective, confidence mens that you know you can shape and influence the world around you, whether to protect a pregnant partner or keep her fed and nourished while she is breastfeeding her baby or figure out a way to keep your family alive during a famine.
Speaking of cavemen, if you haven't read George Saunders' Pastoralia, you should. It's amusing -- but it's not as good as Sea Oak, but that's okay, because it's included in the same collection.
When you say, "I’ve concluded that I’m simply not able to be sexually attractive to any woman," etc., you're indicating helplessness. This is the opposite of confidence, and the least attractive thing a man can be to a woman. If you don't think you can approach a woman without creeping her out, then FIX IT. Follow the advice in the very article you are commenting on! Can you honestly not start a conversation with a woman without making an unsolicited comment about her body or violating her personal space? Can you honestly not just talk to her about the latest space launch, Bulls game, or whatever interests you, without leering creepily at her? Can you honestly not show interest in what another person is saying and ask good follow-up questions without, like, groping her? I don't believe that you ARE helpless. I believe that you FEEL helpless, and that is what is so repulsive to women. We're kind of experts at detecting helplessness, because it would be really bad to get knocked up by a helpless male. So. Do you have the willingness to change this? If not... maybe keep hanging out with women just as friends, because you're right -- no one will ever be attracted to you. But if you do, then start working on it. Don't double down and get defensive like an ornery little boy. Be willing to learn. Be willing to improve. Be an actual adult with actual agency, instead of a child with a temper. Obviously the first thing you need to do is learn to be more socially aware and comfortable to be around, so you should order and read every page of Olivia Fox Cabane's The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Connection. Next, you need to learn find an evidence-based therapist who uses cognitive behavioral therapy, and who is willing to call you out on your shit. Don't just randomly pick a therapist, because there are a lot of bad ones out there. Before or at your first meeting, tell the therapist that you are not interested in regurgitating childhood trauma or whatever Freudian bullshit, but that you want to actively come up with strategies to recognize and change dysfunctional social behaviors. Remember: if you can't get a date and women are calling you creepy, you are obviously doing things wrong, and it would be helpful to have someone help you figure out what. One thing to keep in mind: if you're struggling with depression and the therapist recommends SSRIs, you need to have a serious discussion about whether this is the best option for you. SSRIs can kill your sex drive and cause sexual dysfunction, which is obviously going to mess up your motivation and willingness to date. Another book you will find very useful is Byron Katie's Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life. Katie lays out several strategies for cognitively reframing negative thoughts and finding the person you could be without these toxic and untrue beliefs. If you're already mad. If you're already disagreeing with me. If you already know that none of this advice will help you... That is why you are repulsive to women. You are helpless. You are unwilling to grow and improve. And there is no reason any woman should expect this part of you to magically change just because she started dating you. You need to take accountability for your own mistakes and growth. Or nothing will ever change for you and you will always be alone.
15 Comments
john
10/20/2022 07:38:24 am
Can I understand that all women ain't here for my entertainment or obligated to or subject to my own personal wants and needs? Yes! 💯! Can u women try and understand that some men actually can and do appreciate u for the very intelligent, cunning and resourceful creatures that u are and would never even register within them that u were anything less? Not for a second. Maybe some of us ou here actually have the capacity to find you where ur at and respect the whole of u exactly as u are without influence, expectations or judgements?... Maybe that shit that used to anger, intimidate and repulse him about u has actually become most of the reason hes found himself becoming more and more attracted to women just like u and truly appreciates how calculated and intelligent u are when you're mapping out your whole environments and lives down to the finest manipulative detail in order to have an environment that you're comfortable in that also allows u to flourish and be the power brokers in those environments. Yeah we can come to those conclusions and understandings within ourselves as men whithout it being something that makes him weak or desperate because he's accepted things how they are. Not at all. I haven't accepted none of it. Fought it the whole way. Until i opens my eyes and my understanding to the possibility that negative feelings do to my own pride and ego might be keeping me from learning something or being able to really appreciate what's been laid out before me for what it is... A carefully crafted and well laid out tapestry of your resourcefulness, intelligence, ingenuity and passion that feels like art but can teach u more then a lifetime of college if we allow ourselves enough humility and appreciation to learn from what you've placed in front of us. Ya know as bull headed domineering men... I'm a lot of things but I'm not desperate and I certainly ain't to available... None of that. Very confident in self actually and I really do mold my environment in such a way so as to highlight a life that takes cues from that environment in order to mimic the things in that environment that I've deemed hold a higher social engineering value with people who are easily manipulated by what they hav been conditioned to look for even if it doesn't reflect the truth or is something that could be damaging to my reputation and how people view me. To me there is far more value in letting someone be angry at u for being something they are programed to hate and pass judgements on even while glossing over their own participation and culpability in fostering and promoting said behavior or character traits/Flaws... It's easier to manipulate, navigate and control your environment and the people in that environment if u help them believe in their own righteousness and moral superiority. And u give them easy yet intangible targets for their indignation and anger... The only thing u need for this formula to work after u set the stage is a solid understanding of the truth as it really is (from your side now) and a healthy understanding of your own self worth and people's opinions don't prove anything about u other than that u now have a real life example of your ability to help people feel and react to things in a way that more often then not will benefit u and do so at their expence... I learned that from a group of very intelligent women determined to live a life they choose where they are not just participating but in power positions. I love y'all for real. And I appreciate u. Y'all ain't willing to appreciate that truth though. Letting that power get to your heads and losing the vision maybe..? In closing I just want to point out one thing... This or anything I send isn't harassment.... Don't flatter yourselves.... It's communicating with u in your chosen format because thats all u get when u fail to accept and acknowledge anyone via tangible platforms yourselves... That means we can say what we want true or not and the other party has to see it but it also never happened anywhere but in your head... If u
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Doug
6/10/2023 07:31:19 am
Hi Eva - it’s Doug. I am not indicating “helplessness” as you surmise. I am indicating observed reality. And btw, as I said in the quoted post, I have lots of women friends - so obviously I do not do the offensive things you ask about.
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Vestigal
10/24/2023 07:15:14 am
I love how she will never respond to you. It's amazing how women can't see the distinct advantage that they have over men, and how they take the fact that they can have sex whenever they want for granted.
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Michelle
10/25/2023 02:33:25 pm
Believe me, Vestigal (is that another name for your...little man? Just curious). Most women are super-happy prostitution exists. In fact, a lot of women are really hoping that affordable sex robots come on the market sooner rather than later, and so the bridge-dwelling malcontents and general rejects - you know, like the guys who show up in these comment sections - can just retreat into their basements or bedroom in their mom's house with the sex robot, and live happily ever after. It really won't be that big of a deal to womankind. The more undesirables we can get out of the dating pool, the happier everyone will be. 10/31/2023 10:36:12 pm
Doug, your comments came across as pretty defeated and helpless. You should take my advice and try to address these attitudes, as it will help with the dating stuff.
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David Nichols
11/7/2023 06:14:01 am
Yall are very disingenuous. 1) most women do not support prostitution, and feminists in particular, hate the idea of sex robots. 2) You can interpret it as defeat or accepting reality. You take the attention you receive for granted and you're entitlement, lack of self awareness or empathy and narcissistic level of self assuredness is evident in your witless snark. Women like violent narcissists. If a man isn't either exceptionally physical attractive or some kind of manipulative douchebag who is just as unempathetic, impulsive and entitled as you, then Women probably won't get along with him.
changingthenarrative
6/20/2023 12:02:54 am
This is excellent advice.
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Kris
8/19/2023 10:12:17 pm
I'm so tired.
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Michelle
10/25/2023 03:01:59 pm
Kris:
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Dan
10/28/2023 12:51:24 pm
Would you tell Eva to get real about her level of physical attractiveness, also? She is in her late thirties and thinks that she is this gorgeous, irresistible woman that every guy wants to fuck and be with. 10/31/2023 11:02:10 pm
Michelle,
slast
10/19/2023 05:24:17 am
The problem with helplessness and defeatism is that it can never be defeated. Ropemaxxing is the way to go.
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Greg
11/19/2023 06:47:23 pm
I am very fit, make good money, drive a new car, and have been told I am attractive, but never believe it. Whenever I meet a woman, I just automatically assume she would never be interested in me sexually and leave it at that. I suffered from low self esteem issues all my life, and it would be foolish to believe that will never be an issue in the future. But I am comfortable with who and what I am. I will never have to deal with another bad breakup or divorce, and will never have harassment charges thrown at me. I have learned there is more to life than looking for someone.
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Greg
11/19/2023 07:24:44 pm
And I don't think it is because I am doing something wrong that needs "fixing", sometimes it is OK to be disconnected.
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Al
12/6/2023 09:35:20 am
From the perspective of a male struggler, in your essay here there seems to be a pretty serious conflation of “guy who struggles to get a date” with “guy who is creepy.” Those two are not the same thing (with one big exception that you elucidated the referenced earlier blog entry, which I will discuss after my main point).
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