Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've done all that stuff too. It sucks for me because the pool is pretty modest hereabouts. I haven't sent ~150 unanswered messages, for example, because there aren't 150 women I'd message in Perth. When I stopped taking it seriously, my results improved. Periodically I get bored and close my account for a few months. When I come back I rewrite my profile. It's fun. Very liberating. Try it. (There's also the time-hon…
Yeah, the thing is, after that many messages sent, done thick-skinnedly, in a big pool, with a friend who also is short, though slightly taller (5'7"), with him doing significantly better, and after lots of previous attempts AND lots of attempts in real life, I am at the end of my tether with the inevitable emotional pain involved. There has to come a time when you think the cost of an activity exceeds any possible b…
A Million First Dates
141–150 of 150 posts
Re: A Million First Dates
#142Earlier quoted context omitted.
I hesitate to post this because I am not interested in being hit on and I am not interested in adding to the pile on of people criticizing you. But I spent all this time writing the damn thing. Sigh. So here it is, fwiw: You know, I have gotten a crapload of rejection and hostility in recent years, not in a dating context but in another social context. So I am very familiar with how hard it is to remain open and do t…
Don't worry, I'm used to being criticised on this topic. People don't like the idea that there might be factors rendering pursuit of this as not worthwhile, I find. I'm sorry to hear that you have experienced rejection + hostility, and of course I've not exactly had fun with this, but I can't rule out what I've seen in terms of my own rejection, and having read about many others' experiences re: height. Of course all…
Incidentally, this is an argument for periodically re-messaging people.
Re: A Million First Dates
#143For a certain subset (perhaps minority) of the population, these sites are nothing but a bait-and-switch. And I think dating sites attract many of us (as I am indeed a member of this subset.) I'm talking about people who lack the pre-requisites women require for mate selection which if not fulfilled, no other characteristics typically matter. Firstly - height - if you are significantly below the national average, you…
I can sympathize. I dated online for a time, and the stated-height-requirement thing used to drive me either totally, totally nuts or into extended moments of depression, depending on the day. I am not very short, but I am under average, and I was really blown away by the sheer number of women whose stated requirements ruled me out on the basis of height alone. I think the percentage of women who actually write that…
There's a school of thought that foreigners are automatically "sexy" because of the genetic dissimilarity heuristic.
Re: A Million First Dates
#144Earlier quoted context omitted.
> On the surface, "don't be nice" appears pretty douchey. Very true, but I think the broader point is to avoid being the stereotypical "nice guy" towards women. For better or worse, being "overly nice" or eager to please is a low-confidence move, something that does not appear to be valued by many women.
Random thought: In dating terms, "nice guy" seems to equal "doesn't push for sex" and "bad boy" seems to be "is definitely looking for sex". I am wondering if what is intended by "don't be nice" is along the lines of "be up front about the fact that you are interested in sex".
Re: A Million First Dates
#145Earlier quoted context omitted.
You should really try a pay site, OKC in my experience has just been for hookups. People are way more judgemental there. Also I would think a dating site where you could search for shorter girls would be helpful than real life, no?
>You should really try a pay site, OKC in my experience has just been for hookups. I guess it would be that way if you just looked at people's profile pics and didn't bother with answering match questions, comparing scores, and reading profiles (which is how a frightening number of people seem to use it). If you actually use the tools it provides, you may find you have better luck. That said, I guess I don't have muc…
Re: A Million First Dates
#146Earlier quoted context omitted.
Please don't buy into the evolutionary psychology BS. Human relationships are mostly defined by cultural norms, not genetics, or else short people would have been selected out millions of years ago. Women incorporate the same things that all of us do, our culture: imaginary (and largely delusional) hollywood fantasies about ideal romances. The truth is both men and women are equally lost in the dating game when indiv…
> Human relationships are mostly defined by cultural norms, not genetics, or else short people would have been selected out millions of years ago. I think that humans are taller than we were millions of years ago. So yes, in some sense short people are getting selected out. (Though I don't have data. I'm actually more confident that we're taller than we were thousands of years ago, than that we're taller we were pre-…
Re: A Million First Dates
#147Earlier quoted context omitted.
Great post. Being a short yet confident man is way much more appealing to a woman than to be the 6' average joe.
Citation required? Women might say this, but in my experience it's simply not true. Like the whole 'love yourself so others can love you' line. Which is just B.S. in my experience. Having said that, I agree confidence makes a huge difference. However, the kind of confidence women like is in my opinion an unpleasant cocky kind. And should I attempt to completely change who I am, become somebody I dislike just to fulfi…
Re: A Million First Dates
#148Earlier quoted context omitted.
I disagree utterly. There's a significant number of people looking for real relationships on OKC -- you just need to find out whether the other person is on the same page as you ASAP (profile, messages, first few dates). Thanks to OKC I went on several first dates, which led to two exclusive relationships (at different times, of course!), one of which resulted in my marriage. I also found that OKC gives greater flexi…
May I ask how tall you are? I am not trying to be facetious, just curious. I agree that it's a numbers game, assuming you are at least vaguely viable.
There's no doubt in my mind that shorter men have a tougher time, but I don't think it's limited to online dating. One thing I've (anecdotally) seen help shorter men is a muscular physique, but I agree that a short man will likely have a higher ratio of first dates to relationships. It's not like a successful relationship is out of the question, but the process of attaining it can be longer and more emotionally taxing.
Re: A Million First Dates
#149I have felt your pain, and I cured it for myself. The answer is not to become someone you dislike or are uncomfortable with - but instead, to grow the person you are into a person you are MORE proud.
Besides this arbitrary idea of dating quantities and success score numbers judged by the numbers of responses, let's presume to say you would be happy finding just ONE person to start with who mutually is attractive and fun to be with. Let's not get overeager just yet looking for THE ONE for all eternity, if there even is such a thing (See Dan Savage videos). Let's take this process one step at a time - just get a date, any date. Ugly, fat, tall, short, pretty, sexy, smart, boring. Doesn't matter. Get a date. Then get two. Then three. Then more. And as you realize that people are people regardless of their exterior, you are going to become a far more likable, confidently social, comfortable, and engaging person - who SINCERELY unconditionally appreciates women - your charisma will naturally improve.
And women will sense that, because indeed you accept them absolutely regardless of what they would wish to do or say or act around you. You must learn and internalize that you are impervious to any of their negativity. To anyone's negativity, man or woman, because you utterly believe in yourself and the rich, successful, beautiful life journey that you are on. Your positivity is too strong, indeed. You don't beat yourself up, and think YOU are unlovable just because there IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THEM. If you do these things, if you accept the things you can't change, your height, facial structure perhaps (plastic surgery?), whatever else you consider your lot in life, at the very least, you are going to become an extraordinarily popular personal energy to be around.
Now taking this self-embrace further, why not do things that will only better you? For instance, post a picture of yourself here, now that you have such a popular thread. Begin that effort you are no longer sensitive to the negativity anyone might bring to you commenting how you look, what height you are, or any other feature about you. 'Tis all just fodder to be examined, if there is or isn't something you can do to improve your situation. There ARE always things you can do, even if some things you have no control over. Proactivity, unconditional positivity, and pragmatism are your main principles now!
If you are indeed a bit scrawny and unhappy with your body structure, then learn to weight lift and grow your body. Take dancing classes, where your skills in dancing might overcome your physical structure. Do whatever else is active and physical, if you think that is the realm in which you lack.
I promise you, if you post a picture, or better yet, a video of yourself talking to us about your life situation, you are going to get immense and valuable feedback, far better than you are from the one dimensionality of textual defense and argumentation.. We don't, unfortunately or fortunately, live in merely a world of literal characters, so much as unique, unpredictable, infinitely dynamic human characters. =)
Re: A Million First Dates
#150Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am about your height, and did not find it too hard to find dates in Britain. (Oh, and after moving to Singapore, I can tell you it's now actually harder to avoid the attention of women than to get them.)
Depends on your race. White Males have no trouble everywhere. Asian males on the other hand...
They do where white males are abundant.