Rules of the Game

[Aenigma]

Neil Strauss, writer of the The Game, has released a new product called "Rules of the Game", it is a package of two small books:

I. The Stylelife Challenge -Master the Game in 30 Days
II. The Stylelife Diaries -The Pickup Artist's Companion


I had no idea that this product was coming out until I saw this somewhat amusing promotional video posted on another forum.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...lID=481242 94

Having both enjoyed reading "The Game" and having enjoyed the thread discussing it on the Tucker Max forum I decided it would fun, and enlightening, be to post my own thoughts on both books.


The Stylelife Challenge

The Stylelife Challenge is designed as a step by step lesson to teach guys game. However, there is a bit of a twist- the book is designed such that each lesson/step is suppose to be be completed one a day in order. Everyday the reader takes up a new lesson and performs a new challenge in consecutive order. In fact, Strauss goes as far as to preface the entire book by saying:

"The temptation to read this book cover to cover in a few settings may be strong. That's normally how books work. Not this one. Follow the instructions one day at a time. Study the attached briefings. Perform the Field Missions. AND NO NOT SKIP AHEAD. Missing a single lesson or experience will affect your results, your game, your life. You've been warned."

Quite the warning. Originally, I was only going to read the books. I've changed my mind. I'm going to to review this particular product- and to that end I'm going to use it as its meant to be used- one day at a time. I'm going to go through each lesson/chapter one day at a time and post my thoughts, and my results, in this thread (assuming Tucker/the mods find this thread entertaining enough to allow it onto the idiot board).

Now, the question many of you are undoubtedly asking: why, what's the point of this whole endevour? On one level, I'm doing it because I think it will be both entertaining and enlightening- to both me and the board viewers (which is probably more important to your prespective). However, the real answer, the embarassing answer, is that- I may get laid, from time to time; and that's the problem. The "may" and the "from time to time" parts. I 'm not proficient at game to the degree that Tucker and Strauss are. If I go out, get wasted, and have a good time with friends I MAY bring an ok looking girl home, but usually not. Sober game? Forget it. The really hot model looking types? Never happened. So then, I ask- what better way to get proficient then by actually listening to a guy who knows what he's doing and is living life to the fullest by becoming/being the person he is destined to be(unlike those PUA clowns).

That's what I'm shooting for; I don't want my life to be defined soley by chasing women, which is how the PUAs approach life, but rather I want to live my life to the fullest and fulfill my potential while enjoying women, which is for lack of a better label, the Tucker Max approach to life. I will accomplish great things with my life, I know this, I have unshakable faith in myself and my abilities. Lack of overwhelming success with women is a huge stone hanging around my neck, and it has been weighing me down for far too long. The Game added weight to the stone, as did I hope They Serve Beer in Hell. The success both of these men are achieving with women is an embarassment to me- they're daring to live the life I want while I sit and stew. I'm going to remove this psychological dead weight from my neck once and for all; the life I want will be mine. To this end, I will learn and master "game". If, as the cover of this book promises, I "Master the Game in 30 days" by following it- then I'll give it my ringing endorsement. If not- well, then I'll just burn it and learn some other way.

Introduction-why are we here

Strauss starts the book with an intro stating what we all already know- that the people who are reading this book are mostly doing to to learn how to get women. However, he has a few lines that seemed espically poignant to me.

I spent my teens and most of my twenties lonely, desperate, and woefully inexperienced, sitting mutely on the sidelines while women obsessed over guys whose appeal boggled me.

This is true of many men. Girls call them the "Nice Guys". I have no idea on percentages, if I had to guess I would say that the exact percent would be depressingly high.

I was like that once- up to the age of 24 that described me to a T. Even at this point, while I might get women, I don't completely understand them; let alone why they sleep with a guy, completely sober, after knowing him only for a few hours- like they do with Tucker Max (well aside from the cliche answer of- they're obviously attracted to him). Well, that's not completely true- I understand it on an academic level, with women being attracted to traits such as dominance, humor, appearence, height, and intelligence- but I don't know how to put it all into practice. I think I do it sometimes-which is what does get me laid. However, consistency, exposing myself to sufficient numbers of women, and reliance on alcohol are all problems holding me back.

Emboldened by desperation, I disguised my identity, knocked on the door of that world, and it slowly opened. Inside, I dropped prostrate before the masters. I thought they would have the keys to release me from the prison of my own frustrations, fears, and insecurities.
They didn't have those keys. But I wouldn't trade the journey I took for anything. Because it taught me something I never would have realized on my own; that I actually had the keys the whole time. I just didn't know where to find them or how to use them.

The reason he didn't find those things from the PUAS is because they are completely defined by women. Without them, they have no identity- they are nothing.

The second paragraph is a great analogy though. They keys to EVERYTHING you want in life, not just women, is found within you. Its up to you to find it and use it.

... I coached frustrated teenagers, thirty-year-old virgins, recently divorced businessmen, and even rock stars and billionaires.

More proof that money and status don't necessarily guarantee success with women.

How to Play the Game

The last "chapter" before the lessons begin. Success, as defined by the objective, is getting a date within 30 days. Of course I'm shooting a little higher. I want to master the game, so I'll be doing all 30 lessons worth regardless of whether or not I get a date. Strauss does think that you'll master the game if you follow all thirty lessons though.

Along the way, whatever your experience level may be, you'll recieve the skills, tools, confidence, and knowledge to meet and attract almost any woman, any time you want.
I want you to master this part of your life. And to make sure you do, I'm going to hold your hand and walk you through every step along the way.... It has worked not just for me but for thousands of men- transforming their success with women as well as their sucess in a much bigger game: life.

Well Mr. Strauss- let's see where this journey take me. Should be entertaining. Stay tuned.

 

[Aenigma]

Day One

Mission one: Evaluate yourself

1. Write one or two sentences describing how other people currently percieve you.

I think that people see me as a very intelligent, funny, articulate, and kind. However, they also consider me a bit crazy, overly-friendly, that I talk about sexual matters at "inappropriate times", inconsiderate of the opinion of others, and a bit too silly.

2. Write one or two sentences describing how you would like to be percieved by others.

I would say that I would like to be percieved as a leader- someone who people look up to and respect.

3. List three characteristics/behaviors you would like to change:

i. Cleanliness- I have a tendency to let my laundry and dishes build up
ii. Dominance- I have a tendency to let others have what they want instead of arguing get what I want, or simply operating on my own terms regardless of what others want/do.
iii. Procrastination/Poor planning- I do not plan out my time; leaving me to leave many of the things I want to do unaccomplished or done at the last minute.

4. List three new behaviors or characteristics you would like to adopt:

i. Be more bold in approaching women I find attractive.
ii. Get better at playing/understanding the mind games that women so frequently use to manipulate, test, and play men with.
iii. Be more action orinted in in achieving my goals- instead of allowing myself to become bogged down in the paralysis analysis (which happens to me frequently) or the forced rationalizations I give myself to not do something that I want to.

Mission two

Read attached chapter on braking your mental chains. Done- knew what was said before I read this chapter. I can see why it would be helpful for your average guy though.

Mission three

-Talk to five strangers today.

Done. Heck I talk to strangers all the time, its not big deal for me. Its a part of what I do during the day. I can, however, see how this would be a useful step for an introverted shy guy though. I think I'm going to go above and beyond the requirement and force myself to talk to five hotties today as a substitute; five strangers dosen't serve the same mental barrier for me as it does for some other guys, and that's the whole point of the exercise- to break down your mental barriers.

Unfortunately, I'm going out drinking with friends (and I've already pre-gamed) so even if I do it tonight, I'm not going to count it. I'll force myself to this tomorrow- sober. I'll post anything interesting that happens.

 

[Aenigma]

Well, my night out was quite interesting and surprisingly enlightening (more on this later), but as of right now catching the flu, and visiting family for Christmas, has taken the wind out of my sails in regards to the daily tasks. I'll resume course after the Christmas holidays. As for now.....


The Stylelife Diaries- Commentary

The book is a collection of short stories; they're organized in
eleven chapters with a preface and a postface. Each of the chapters is entitled with a "Rule of the Game".


The eleven Rules are:

1. Attraction is not a choice
2. One Broken link destroys the chain
3. Game is a borderless state
4. Know the terrain before you take the journey
5. What you perceive is who you are
6. Expect the best, prepare for the worst
7. Whatever is in the way IS the way
8. Emotions are reason enough
9. Love is a wave, trust is the water
10. The comfort zone is enemy territory
11. No man wins the game alone

Strauss states the stories in this book are meant as examples of what NOT to do. On a surface level, this is the case. A deeper look reveals that the book, at heart, is about the lessons that Strauss has learned about life and morality after becoming a "pickup artist".

Preface

Strauss makes a great point here- and illustrates it in a completely unintentional manner.

...and that was when I realized that the traditional relationship model is defined by a woman's needs, not a man's.

A true point, and not just in the way he intended in regards to marriage and monogamy. The conventional paradigm for relationships in the Western World is the man sacrificing his desires and wants to "make her happy". The female's role is to demand and desire- while the males role is to sacrifice and fulfill those desires. She is free to make any demand- his role is to be a "good husband" and fulfill them (ie- serve her). A mans wants are negotiable, if not outright disposable, and Strauss illustrates this concept nicely but one page earlier.

... and then from amongst these women, I will choose one to love....

"But what happens after a year or two years, and the sex isn't as exciting anymore? What happens if you have a child with her, and she becomes less available for you emotionally and sexually? What happens if you go through a rough patch and start fighting all the time?"

"If those things happened, I'd probably want to sleep with other women... But I'd just have to control myself. I suppose I could think of other women like cigarettes. Even though I desired them, I would refrain from indulging because I'd know it was bad for the health of the relationship."

"Health of the relationship". And what would the barometer of the "health of the relationship" be per say? Why, how happy the women is and how much the man conforms to her expectations of him, of course! His desires for sex and emotional availability from her, his happiness, her deficiencies? They don't even enter the equation.

This is an illustration of the inability of most males to put themselves first. They're all to willing to compromise or sacrifice their happiness for the happiness of others. Altruism. Religion. Emotional Validation. Shame. "Love". But some of the countless reasons that men do this. They fail to ask themselves the simple questions of- "Why does this person deserve to be happy instead of me? Why am I sacrificing for them instead of the other way around? Why am I conforming to their expectations for my behavior?". They refuse to use their own judgments, their own happiness, their own mind as their standard; thus they're dominated by the wants and desires of others. This is the soul of the "beta-male". They're slaves, and what's more, they wear their slavery with pride; each act of subservience is a badge of honor for them.

It means, that your ethics are ****ed up."

The mystery man of the preface sums up what's wrong with Strauss, who is kind enough to give us an excellent example of how in chapter 4.

There's another side to the game: the destructive side. And, the more successful you are, the more you're going to rub against it.

Wish he had gone into more detail about this, it seems like a very important point. However, he just leaves this sentence hanging there. It's an assertion with nothing backing it up.



Rule 1: Attraction is not a choice


Attraction is not a choice. How does Struass illustrate this rule? Why by telling us a tale of him ****ing an old lady.... in vivid detail.

I look at her: she is old, man. And not a good old. Just plain old. And worn down. Brittle black-gray hair piled sloppily atop her head. Pea-size pores freckling her face. Body like a bag of gravel. Blood-pressure socks. Varicose veins. Mustache.

Ewww...

I'll spare you the rest of the gory details.

Surprisingly enough, what I drew from this chapter isn't the what Strauss intended with his rule, and his talk of feeling compelled to **** an old granny. Rather, I found a rather tantalizing example of Sexual Transmutation. Sexuality, the most powerful motivational force within men, is capable of motivating and inspiring men to turn from caterpillars into butterflies; as Strauss did when he turned from uber nerd into a PUA. It's a force so powerful that even a granny is capable of using it to cause a man to change for the better.

A month later, I moved out of the building. Not because of Nancy. because I felt isolated and listless in Pasadena. I wanted to live where people were struggling and striving and trying to become, because that's always where the action is. That's where you find life.....

... I realized the flaw in my plan: it wasn't me who had seduced and saved Nancy. She had seduced me. And I'd moved. I'd changed. I'd grown up.Maybe the gratitude I felt was my own.

Rule 2: One Broken Link Destroys the Chain

Style is going to **** a girl. He blows it with one tiny ****up. Most of us have been there. I'll spare you the spoilers and let you be amused by his antics.

One thing did catch my eye in the chapter though, part of Style gaming a girl.

"You have one life to live." I hear myself telling Bookgirl. The words are not mine. they belong to Joseph Campbell, dead professor of mythology. "Marx teaches us to blame society for our frailties, Freud teaches us to blame our parents, and astrology teaches us to blame the universe." The fog has lifted. It's funny how quickly it comes back. I constantly forget that people tend to be polite, unless they think you want something from them, which, of course, we do. "But the only place to look for blame is if you didn't have the guys to bring out your full self, if you didn't act on your desires, if you didn't take advantage of what was in front of you and live the life that was your potential." There are tears in her eyes. Thank you, Joseph Campbell. I take her hand in mine and she squeezes it warmly.

1. Very true words. Your life is in your hands.

2. Who the heck memorizes these things verbatim? PUAs apparently. Too bad no one called him out ala the bar scene in Goodwill Hunting. That would have been hilarious. Regardless, I can't imagine memorizing lines like this just to spout off in a bar, its seems so phony.

 

[Aenigma]

Rule 3: Game is a Borderless State

Style games a Muslim chick. Style concludes that all women are *****s (but doesn’t put it on those terms). Its true guys. Tucker Max has said it. **** Masterson has said it. Now Style illustrates it. All women are *****s- especially the "innocent" ones that you think are just looking for the "right guy". Even the ones in Muslim society who wear veils and are brainwashed since birth are like that. That's why you still hear about women being stoned to death in those societies- they know the penalty, but they can't help themselves. It's in their nature. As the phrase goes, If you want unconditional loyalty- get a dog.

"I like," she said, touching my earrings.
The earrings are silver spikes I bought after learning about a concept called peacocking. The idea is that, just as the peacock spreads its colorful plumage in order to attract the female of the species, so, too, must a man stand out in order to attract the opposite sex. Though I was initially skeptical, once I began experimenting with these items, as obnoxious and uncool as they seemed, the results were immediate-- even in Bangladesh.

The only experience I've had with peacocking is wearing sunglasses, at night, into a club... and yes, I felt like a douche when I did so. However, you do indeed attract more attention from the opposite sex when doing so. I think looking like a douche is part of it. If I remember correctly, Mystery's theory in The Game is that being able to peacock, and handle the social pressure that results from standing out in such a fashion, is indicative of confident and exciting guy- and women find this attractive.

I do wonder though, how could a guy peacock without looking ridiculous? Or is that the whole point? Thoughts and suggestions on this point are certainly welcome.

As we walked around, I noticed a group of teenage girls following me and staring. Eventually, a few worked up the courage to approach and began gesturing to my earrings, bracelets, rings and shaved head.

I asked Iqbal to talk to the women and find out what they were up to. "All the women, they like you," he came back and told me. Then he pointed out a pair of barefoot, bejeweled beauty queens and said, "Those girls want to marry you."

"Why don't they want to marry Harary? He's the one all the cameras are following."

Iqbal talked to them a moment, then turned and smiled. "They like you."

In that moment, I learned that the game is universal. Peacocking- the rule of standing out rather than fitting in, of embodying a more exciting lifestyle instead of the one people are used to- seems to work in every culture. I was now officially doomed to dress ridiculously for the rest of my single life.

Another illustration of peacocking in action. Of course, it might be due to the fact that Style was white, and he stood out for that reason instead (and the women associated white with wealth, and getting out of a poor ****ty backwater in Bangladesh)-- but let's assume Style is right here and it IS the clothes and accessories...

What it means is that you can work hard to be learned, fit, and successful, and not get laid. All these things that require months, if not years, of dedication. They sculpt your personality ("inner game"), are rewarding in and of themselves, and they are things women find attractive- but they show no ******d signs (clothes usually cover a fit body). In contrast, you can spend 50 bucks to dress up like a clown and **** women that same day with minimal effort. Even Style admits how ridiculous he thinks he looks, yet he still thinks that it's this that attracts the women. Its like a some sort of grand cosmic joke.

I think I might need to run some experiments to see how valid this concept really is.




Rule 4: Know the Terrain Before Taking the Journey

Style shows us how his "ethics are ****ed up" in this chapter.

Style attempts to warn us of the Law of Unintended Consequences, version PUA. He is ****ing two sisters- and on a given night he has to with which he is going to sleep. He picks the younger. The older self destructs- he blames himself.

As I lie in her younger sister's bed that night, Maggie consoles herself with an ex-boyfriend.

A month later, with love in her heart, a smile on her face, and innocence in her eyes, Linda tells me- the one-man army she has used to stage her coup- that Maggie has moved in with him. Three months later, he has gotten Maggie hooked on crystal meth. A year later, Maggie has broken up with him for abusing her. Two and a half years later, Maggie is no longer recognizable as the carefree youth who once climbed dripping out of my swimming pool. She has married him. And, like air bubbles trapped in cement, the decisions we make in a moment haunt us for the rest of our lives.

Strauss thinks he is responsible for her self destruction. He's not. People have their own minds. They are responsible for their own actions and decisions in life. She made her choices- now she has to live with them. It's called personal responsibility, it's called self-control. Traits that seem to be lacking in our generation.

At any rate, like I said earlier- Strauss blames himself. It's a consequence of his altruistic put others first at all costs mental archetype. His actions are dictated by what they want, and what's best for them- not what he wants and desires. This passage illustrates this perfectly:

I must play my role: Maggie has slept with twenty-six men; I am just a footnote in her sexual history. But I am Linda's entire sexual history and its caretaker. I must keep her memory of the moment preserved in a bell glass. If it shatters, and one shard punctures her hear, the damage will be permanent. She is too smart: She chose the right man, one cursed with a conscience, which dictates that I not ruin her- or any woman- for other men. And so I have no choice. Someone is going to get hurt tonight and better the happy slut than the melancholy prude.

Where in any of that did you hear about what HE wanted. Whom HE desired. Who's company HE enjoys? Nowhere to be found. Like I said earlier, he's a slave to the wants, needs, and emotions of others. Sadly, he dosen't realize this.



Rule 5: What you perceive is who you are

A great title, and a true one at that. However, there's really no connection in the chapter to it, in fact most of the chapter reads like it came from a story in Penthouse. There's really nothing to learn from this chapter. In fact, I'm not even sure what Struass intended the reader to learn from this chapter. I think its more filling space with entertaining/amusing antics then anything.

 

[Aenigma]

Rule 6:Expect the Best, Prepare for the Worst

Exchange of love letters between Neil and a girl. Turns out she's a Virgin.

And, I must admit, at some point, I was a little scared as well. When we went back to my house, I think reality set in. When I discovered that you still had your hymen, I realized you were no ordinary girl and this was no ordinary experience.

I didn't know if I could live up to your expectations, or ever reciprocate the immense reservoir of feeling you have for me. So I though it would be better to back off and be friends, and let you have that other experience with the incredible person you're really supposed to be with. I can be a great lover, but I've always been a horrible love... You have so much love in your heart and goodness in your soul, and I'm glad that you were able to share just a little of it with me...

Style once again see himself as responsible for the fate of others. Is this a grown woman with a mind of her own capable of weighing decisions and making a choice for herself? Not in the mind of Neil- he knows what's best for her in the long run! He also once again shows the inability to go for what HE wants when his desires conflict with the desires/wants/needs (or what he thinks their desires/wants/needs are) of others.



Rule 7: Whatever's in the way IS the way

Nothing really insightful in this chapter. The meaning of the title is easily decifered by reading the chapter.



Rule 8: Emotions are reason enough

If you feel it do it. The theme of the chapter. I can understand this up to a point, but I wouldn't endorse it to the point of a full blown emotionalist mindset.

At any rate, the story in the chapter is entertaining. Not really that much to learn from it, and I'm not sure what Neil wanted to teach with it. His main explicit point seems to be that love doesn’t always work even if its a perfect love. This, however, is in direct contradiction with the theme he has for the chapter. Oh well.


Rule 9: Love is a wave, trust is the water

Nothing notable in this chapter.



Rule 10: The comfort zone is enemy territory


Coincidently enough, between the time I read this book, and started to write up this review, I starting reading Trump's latest book. In it he has a section called "Get out of your comfort zone". He said

You have to constantly challenge yourself to achieve greater and greater accomplishments. To do that, you have to leave your comfort zone.... you cannot stand still, if you do, life will pass you by.

Such a true statement. If you're comfortable, you're stagnating. You should be constantly pushing yourself towards greater accomplishments and goals.

Sadly, the title of the chapter, and what I just said, have more meaning then the rest of this chapter. It's amusing- don't get me wrong- but its not motivational or informative.

What is it about? Strauss decides not to orgasm for 30 days. I've tried this before- I made it about 3 weeks. The effect really is amazing, it's as if testosterone soaks your brain. You think you're king of the world, you do what you want when you want- **** others and what they think. They can kiss your ass for all you care. You're also incredibly horny and you take every possible opportunity to hit on women. Its truly a unique experience. Unfortunately, my friend simply HAD to show me some Brazilian porn during week three. That put an end to that.


Rule 11: No man wins the game alone

Strauss sums up the theme of this brief chapter rather well:

There is just a thin string connecting each of us to reality. And my biggest fear is that one day it will snap, and I'll end up like Roger, or Roky, or my grandmother. Except, unlike them, there will be no one to take care of me.

I think all of us worry about ending up alone. That's no reason to rush into a relationship or have children. Look at the divorce rate. Look at all the spoiled unappreciative *******s children out there. Look at all the guys who think they've found their perfect girl- without ever realizing that she does behind his back; doesn’t realize that his kids aren't his kids. Settling down, getting married and having children, doesn’t guarantee anything. Living in fear is no way to live life, its even worse to use as the basis of your decisions. You'll never soar if you live in fear of not having a perch.



Postface

I can sum up the postface in one sentence. If you want a successful long term relationship, and you should, then make the one barometer of your success the happiness of the woman you're with.

 

[Interceptor]

Dude, thats an A+ for effort.
Thanks for putting so much into this post, man.
Good stuff.

 

[aliasguy]

There's a big online advertising thing on this. That fact alone doesn't make one single word of any of this stuff WRONG, but it IS a moneymaking thing. And that should be considered as you read this.

 

[MikeYikes122]

Has anyone read this book yet? I just got it tonight and I plan on killing off one of the two books in the set tomorrow on a cross-country plane ride I have.

I didn't buy it to actually learn his methods. I just liked The Game a lot and thought the book was well put together. Hopefully these books will be just as good.

I'm most interested in reading the book where Style tells all of his stories. I think Strauss is only really passable as a writer, but hearing his inner monologue and his descriptions of the other PUA gurus made The Game a pretty enjoyable read. I also am kind of fascinated by Strauss himself. Out of all the PUA gurus he seems to be the only one who is sane and actually comfortable in his own skin. I remember reading somewhere in an old blog post or something where someone wrote that Style was the greatest PUA because he had an amazing ability to make girls want to be his girlfriend, and that was why he distinguished himself from Mystery and the rest of the group. Ever since reading The Game it's been my opinion that Strauss' "amazing girlfriending" ability can be attributed to the fact that he is genuinely a personable and interesting guy who actually has some depth beyond the magic tricks and opinion openers that all those guys like to employ. Strauss knows all sorts of famous people, has a cool job and seems to be a personable guy from the videos I've watched of him, whereas Mystery, Tyler Durden and the other guys from the book all seem like head jobs. Their real personalities eventually come out, and that's the reason why all the girls want to be Style's girlfriend.

 

[STR8UP]

I can sum up the postface in one sentence. If you want a successful long term relationship, and you should, then make the one barometer of your success the happiness of the woman you're with.

Yep, it's as simple as that.

I don't care HOW much you "love" your woman, the majority of the time the fate of your relationship hinges upon her attraction to you.

That's why I always say that a healthy relationship is one where the man knows how to be a man and the woman knows how to be a woman (ALLOWS him to be a man by being FEMININE)

This post is AWESOME. I'm gonna have to get some of these books. Amazing wisdom and insight into the dynamics of male/female relationships.

 

[KarmaSutra]

Though there is wisdom in the words I wholeheartedly believe that Strauss is out to make a buck which is his motivation. He liked the notoriety The Game brought and he's addicted to it and since there are so many willing to pony up cash for his rhetoric he has every justification for giving them what they want, for a nominal fee.

And I also believe that he is "girlfriendly" to other women because he is so effeminate. I'm not hating on the guy, but the reality is that he acts and speaks as a woman so it's not a stretch for women to feel comfortable in thier presence. A little wand waving, some mild NLP and he has them with thier toes pointed up to Jesus.

Probably dangles shoes in thier faces as well :moon: !

 

[MikeYikes122]

Though there is wisdom in the words I wholeheartedly believe that Strauss is out to make a buck which is his motivation. He liked the notoriety The Game brought and he's addicted to it and since there are so many willing to pony up cash for his rhetoric he has every justification for giving them what they want, for a nominal fee.

And I also believe that he is "girlfriendly" to other women because he is so effeminate. I'm not hating on the guy, but the reality is that he acts and speaks as a woman so it's not a stretch for women to feel comfortable in thier presence. A little wand waving, some mild NLP and he has them with thier toes pointed up to Jesus.

Probably dangles shoes in thier faces as well :moon: !

I disagree with you. He seems like a decent guy. You should watch some of his videos on Youtube. He comes off as helpful and genuinely concerned about all the poor saps who cry for his advice. In a few of the Internet clips that feature him, it's pretty clear he is oblivious to the fact that he is being filmed, yet he is still polite and courteous.

I don't think the guy really cares about the fame or some of the hot-shots who might associate themselves with him now because of it. As a writer for Rolling Stone, he seemed to have plenty of celebrities and famous people around him at all times. His newfound fame as a writer and PUA can't be that much of an ego-forming experience for him.

You probably dislike him because he cares less about actually helping guys become men and more about commercializing this whole thing. I'll admit that is a little bit sh!tty, but he did come up with a lot of his methods and theories on his own. You can't fault a guy for wanting to make a profit off something he put a lot of hard work into.

When I brought up his renowned ability to make girls his girlfriends, I was trying to make the point that all those other PUA guys were nothing but tricks and gimmicks, while Strauss actually has some depth to his personality. His famed girlfriending ability is only the result of him being a semi-interesting guy, while the rest of those PUA gurus are actually a bunch of losers and nutjobs hiding behind magic tricks and routines.

 

[grinder]

Helluva good job Aenigma bringing this HERE where it belongs. Strauss’ stuff is a nicely packaged product drawing on much of the vast resources contained here. None of it is new, of course.

When I logged into MySpace this morning there was Strauss’ advertisement running endlessly over and over.

For some reason this pissed me off. Of the 300+ friends I have there 49 of the women there are my pool of resources, plates, if you will, in various states of spin. They are an inquisitive lot, these women, and not stupid. Some of my patterns are recognizable in the Strauss material. Some will inquire and some will see ME there. I don’t like that.

Will it actually affect my outcomes; unlikely. Many more women are “clued in” now days, but Strauss’ material is packaged so well.

I’m not saying the commercialization of our material (yes, it’s ours first goddammit) will somehow lift the veil, pull the curtain back on the great OZ, because, if you really have internalized the material and become a man then there is nothing to hide.

I guess this stuff is so valuable I want to jealously hoard it all to myself. Yep, I’m a selfish egotistical bastard. You’ll get no apologies from me on that.

But don’t fvck with my pool of resources, this pisses me off!

 

[Aenigma]

Day 2​

Mission 1

Chapter starts with an excellent quote from JC Penny:

Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I'll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals, and I'll give you a stock clerk.

This gets back to the whole issue of the comfort zone as well, the only way to leave your comfort zone is to set goals for yourself and work towards them. Before you can begin a journey, you need to decide where you're going.

This mission is all about setting goals.

Your mission is to read the following questions, think about them carefully, and write your personal mission statement. Be as specific and ambitious as possible.

1. What three accompishments would you like to achieve to make you happier?

i. Finish losing weight/getting jacked
ii. Be able to game women and understand and avoid their mind/control games
iii. Find and fulfill my passion in life

2. What are the reasons these accomplishments will make you happier?

i. For me, working out and losing weight is all about fulfilling my vision of how I see myself, of meeting what I believe to be my potential. Fulfulling this goal will provide a daily of what I'm capable of, when I set my mind and will towards it, every time I look in the mirror.

ii. Game- enjoy beautiful women as often as I'd like (ideally). Understanding womens' games will prevent me from becoming their pawn, it will allow me to live life on my terms instead of on theirs- which, is really, I think- the key to avoiding being controlled and manipulated by women (more on this later).

iii. This is a very vague goal, but a very important one. Only by finding that which you love to do will you find happiness; there is no substitute. One can chase money, but money, in and of itself, will not bring you happiness- even if you're a billionare. Find something you love, do it well.


3. What is your personal mission?

I will become (my role) who will (my claim to fame) within (number) days/weeks/years.

I will become an author who will finish a novel within 6 months (by July 1st).


4. List three specific results that will let you know that you've accomplished your mission.

i. I will have gained/lost 20/20 lbs of muscle/fat.
ii. I will have have written one novel.
iii. I will have started 1 website w/ a forum within 7 months.
iv. I will have at least 5 good looking **** buddies/booty calls simultaneously.


5. What are you now fully commited to pursing your personal mission?

Because if I don't pursue it now, I will continue to suffer over the next years and

-my sex life will continue to suck.
-my self esteem will plummet because I'll know I'm a loser who dosen't follow through with his goals.
-my life will continue to stagnate, I'll be doing the same things instead of living up to my potentail and doing what I love.

But if I Do pursue it NOW, I will nejoy the next years and

-my sex life will improve
-my dreams will come true, I'll be somebody
-my happiness with myself will improve

Mission 2

This mission involves self-hypnosis, and is optional. I'm choosing not to do it, I'm not a big fan of hypnosis.

Mission 3

Your field assignment today is to go out and make small talk with five more strangers. Buy, this time there's one more thing you need to do: make eye contact with each person. Record his or her eye color in the space below.

I always look people in the eye when I talk to them, so again- this is not a problem, espically since I'm going out for New Years.


Mission 4: A hint for Tomorrow

Be sure to read tomorrow's asswignment the moment you wake up- before you shower, shave, or check your email.

I left a little note for myself on the keyboard.

 

[Mr. Me]

That's why I always say that a healthy relationship is one where the man knows how to be a man and the woman knows how to be a woman (ALLOWS him to be a man by being FEMININE)

This post is AWESOME. I'm gonna have to get some of these books.

STR8UP, you may then enjoy reading "The Way Of The Superior Man" by David Deida.

I do wonder though, how could a guy peacock without looking ridiculous? Or is that the whole point? Thoughts and suggestions on this point are certainly welcome.

Yes, as I accidentally discovered one night in a bar. It was winter, I was wearing a scarf and kept it on. It looked good, what can I say? Got into a convo with a girl and at some point she takes my scarf and starts wearing it around the bar. I'd take it back. She'd take it again.

Subsequently, when I called her some days later, and she answered, I just said, "Where's my scarf?" and Boom! Right back into state she was.

That's like peacocking +.