A Peek Into the Pickup Artist Community

With the growing popularity of the seduction community or what most people call, the pickup artist community, more men are eager to improve themselves and learn the techniques of the pickup artist. Today, there are a lot of dating experts and PUAs who help other men in dating and pickup. But it was not Mystery nor David DeAngelo who pioneered in the seduction community. It actually originated from Ross Jeffries.

Jeffries is a former comedy writer. He created the "Speed Seduction," a Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) technique. David DeAngelo, the famous PUA and guru, was actually a student of Ross Jeffries, who was also the pickup mentor of Neil Strauss in his bestselling book, "The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists".

As the seduction community was growing, each pickup artist or guru developed their own techniques. There's the "Mystery Method" by Mystery and "Cocky & Funny" by David DeAngelo. Accronyms, terminologies and jargons in the community has also been created. For example, AFC (Average Frustrated Chump) is what they call to males who are incompetent with women.

With its rapid growth, the seduction community has also received negative feedback and comments. It has been characterized in the San Francisco Chronicle to be "a puerile cult of sexual conquest." Feminists also reacted negatively to the whole pickup thing and think that it is offensive.

Despite the criticisms, the seduction community is still growing and becoming popular. In 2007, VH1 started the reality show, "The Pickup Artist," with Mystery and other PUAs on it. It has even raised more awareness about the community and attracted more men to join in.

Pickup materials have also spread most especially in the internet. E-books, DVDs, CDs, trainings, seminars, bootcamps, and workshops. Online communities were formed where men share their experiences, learn from others, discuss about pickup and seduction, or sometimes boast around.

Although there can be a lot of things to be criticized in the seduction community, fact still remains that it has helped a lot of men especially the "AFCs". It has helped them develop social skills and gain self-confidence.

The things that the pickup artists and gurus teach to men may be too advanced and can be seen as offensive for women. But it all depends on how men use it. Some men's goal is just to gain confidence and how to deal with women in dating. Pickup is not just for playing around, it can also be for men who seek a serious relationship.