Kevin's Watch

has anyone been watching the pick-up artist on vh1? being a woman, i thought it would offend me, but actually, i think it is a pretty good show.

growing up, i never realized that it might be hard for guys to approach girls. but now that i have a teenage boy, i have a whole new appreciation for how difficult that must be.

anyway, the premise of the show is that a master pick-up artist, whose name is mystery (no joke) teaches these guys who have little self-confidence how to talk to women and interact in social situations. and their transformation has been really cool to witness. it is one of the very few reality shows that is positive.

What I wouldn't have given to have that guy in High School.

it's funny you say that, balon. one of the guys on the pick-up artist said that this stuff should be taught in h.s. we've been encouraging our son to watch it. i figure it can't hurt!

I have been watching it, and I managed to convince my wife to do the same. She had the same attitude going in that you did, KiGirl. But we're both really liking it, too. It had the potential to be really tacky, but it's not. Mystery (wow, what a dumb name ) is actually trying to teach these guys self confidence. It just so happens that he does this by helping them to meet women. Having been where these guys are (well, not living in my parent's garage but... the thought is the same) I am actually impressed with the way he's doing it. A little low-brow humor helps too.

it is good to meet someone else who is watching it with his wife, both liking it. i was really surprised at how much time and thought went into mystery's method. and all the terms he uses to describe the situations, like peacocking and negging. i agree that the confidence that is built goes far beyond just meeting women. i think it could help in a number of situations. i was even impressed with the last episode with the lingerie....and it wasn't about the lingerie (ok, maybe a little), but it was more about listening to women without being distracted. i think that is great advice.

so.....who do you predict will win??

KiGirl wrote:it's funny you say that, balon. one of the guys on the pick-up artist said that this stuff should be taught in h.s. we've been encouraging our son to watch it. i figure it can't hurt!

Good. If he's anything like I was, he doesn't speak a word of girl-nees.

I think it's freeing to admit that dating--like all social interactions--is a game. It's about time someone systematically set out the "rules" of this complex game. Both girls and guys want to play. There's nothing fake about admitting that this is a game. Without acknowledging this brute fact, not only will you suck, but you may end up violating the "rules."

It's not about tricking girls. It's about learning their psychology--which includes their needs and wants. But ultimately you are not trying to con them. You're not taking their money, or tricking them into sex. You are figuring out how to peak their interest, and to face your own fear. This is healthy from both perspectives. Not only do you turn yourself into something that they like better, but you also learn something about them. As ironic and repetitive as it sounds . . . this game is about being authentic. Being in the moment. Being with others. That way, both guys and girls have more fun.

so this isn't about the Molly Ringwald film?

sgt.null wrote:so this isn't about the Molly Ringwald film?

Never heard of the show 'til this thread. Ki's demonstrated pretty good taste, so I decided to check it out.

And I like it. I'm not sure if I would've accepted that kind of advice when I needed it (high school all the way up to about the age of 20), but... Like the peacocking thing. I hated fashion. I absolutely detested the idea of spending money to look like everyone else. So I went with jeans and t-shirts. But if I'd realized that by giving the finger to trendiness, I could've still set myself apart...

And I finally get where my friends were coming from. I mean, I have previously to now, but... Shane (the biggest ladies man you'll ever meet) was always telling me to be an asshole. Just couldn't do it. But really, he wasn't telling me what I thought. The way Mystery explains it makes a lot more sense.

I've also realized how much I applied these kind of concepts when I drank (a wonder I never became an alcoholic, all things considered). The touching, negging, etc. Combined with a heigtened perception of IOI's (real or imagined )...

I never heard of the show either until this thread. And, like Balon, what I wouldn't give for this to have been around in hs!! I absolutely hated every moment of school for the very reason that getting a girl interested in me was about as likely as sprouting wings and flying away.

I'm just amazed at how well thought out this is. All the terminology they use, the stepwise fashion of applying things.... it's impressive. I'm actually surpirsed that Mystery doesn't have a book out becuase it really seems as though he could.

Oh, and I think Brady (the blond guy) will win it. Just a guess though.

...beginning to wish I had a way to watch this with Beorn...

...not that he would listen to Mystery anymore than to his social skills therapy sessions...

wiki link on Mystery

Erik von Markovik (born Erik James Horvat-Markovic on September 24, 1971),[1] better known by the stage name Mystery, is an innovator[2] in the seduction community, a main character in the non-fiction book The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists by Neil Strauss, and is featured in the VH1 reality television series The Pick-up Artist. Von Markovik's contributions to the seduction community are collected and taught as the Venusian Arts by the company of the same name.

On April 11, 2007, Markovik appeared on the television show Late Night with Conan O'Brien to promote his book The Mystery Method: How to get Beautiful Women into Bed. Markovik explained Mystery Method concepts such as going "in field", "peacocking", the structure of a pick-up, and the importance of not telegraphing interest when approaching a group of people.[4]

Well, there you go then... Thanks.

Syl wrote:Never heard of the show 'til this thread. Ki's demonstrated pretty good taste, so I decided to check it out.

Thanks, Syl!

Menolly--He might listen to mystery. he seems cool in a weird sort of way.

Mortice--Yea, it is definitely between Brady and Kosmo...I wonder if adopting a name like Kosmo will win over Mystery and J-Dog. Those names kill me. You'd have to be one hell of a pick up artist to get a girl interested in you with those names.

Yeah, the names have to be part of their "peacocking" theory. Although, I'd imagine a name like Mystery or Matador is a least a conversation piece, which is probably the point.

I can't really see ever taking a girl seriously if she had a name like that though. If a woman introduced herself to me as Mystery, I'd probably assume she was an exotic dancer, and likely a bad one at that.

Mortice Root wrote:Yeah, the names have to be part of their "peacocking" theory. Although, I'd imagine a name like Mystery or Matador is a least a conversation piece, which is probably the point.

I can't really see ever taking a girl seriously if she had a name like that though. If a woman introduced herself to me as Mystery, I'd probably assume she was an exotic dancer, and likely a bad one at that.

yea, i think you are right about the names. although, i think j-dog could've come up with a better one. at least mystery sounds....mysterious.

speaking of exotic dancer,

Spoiler

did you catch tonight's episode? when i saw that the next challenge was to pick up an exotic dancer, i thought, "great...right after i told everyone on this board what a cool show it was and then this."

but it turned out pretty good.

Haven't seen the series, though it sounds interesting enough that I'll probably download it.

Gotta say, though: the name 'Mystery' for a guy seems kinda... well, gay.

KiGirl-Yeah, this last episode could have been in pretty poor taste, but they did well with it. It seems like Mystery's doing more "play by play" analysis as he's watching what the guys are doing, too. I found that pretty interesting.

Edge said:

Gotta say, though: the name 'Mystery' for a guy seems kinda... well, gay.

Yup. Not that there's anything wrong with that...