Quote Originally Posted by MountainKing View Post
I'm gonna home in on this statement specifically, and call shenanigans, because I hold that there is no such thing as flirting "skill". If you're consciously trying to do it, it's not actually flirting. I say that, because I can't count the number of times my friends have cajoled me for making conversation with women on the grounds of "flirting", and yet I've never, EVER actually tried to do it. In fact, I'm convinced that, you can't actually flirt by will; if it isn't a natural reaction, then you're faking it, and that's just not nice.

In short: Shenanigans. Do it anyway.
I call shenanigans on YOU, sir!

You're basically saying that if you're consciously flirting, it's fake, or, the other way round, that unconscious flirting is always genuine. In my opinion, neither are true. Of course, it depends on what you constitute as "fake". One could say you simply mean that it needs to come spontaneously in order not to be fake, but in that case I don't think you could be so damning of "faking it". I think what you mean by fake is ungenuine, untruthful to even deceiving. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what seems to be implied.

If that's the case, I have to disagree. Let's examine the first option: person A likes person B and decides to show this by flirting with her. Consciously, and thus fake as you like to put it. Is it a bad thing person A decides to flirt with her and is aware of his own feelings? No, that's self knowledge (as we all know the first tred on that long stairway to wisdom) and self control, both admirable qualities.

Maybe you'll say "well, if he likes her, he'd automatically flirt with her, naturally, without having to decide to!". Well, I've got news for you: there's plenty of people that don't have this reflex. Count yourself blessed that you do, but loads of folk have an innate shyness they need to overcome before they can "flirt". On the flipside of the coin though, I'd seriously question your unawareness of your own flirting, natural as it may be. How much are you really into someone if you don't even know you're into them? Are you even into them, or do you just flirt automatically?

This brings us to scenario 2: a gentleman (or a lady) who is sometimes referred to as a "player" has become so accustomed to flirting that they do it automatically, without a second though, without knowing they're doing it. I've personally seen this happen. Guys and girls used to flirting a lot who suddenly have boy/girlfriends or are otherwise unavailable who flirt out of reflex. They're not really interested, but they've just become so accustomed to flirting it's their standard way of dealing with the other sex (or the same sex, as the case might be).

Would this qualify as "nice"? I think not, conscious or unconscious, this is behaviour that could hurt people. Signals should be sent intentionally, that's what they're for. Signalling. I'm not saying you, my dear bearded gentleman, belong in this latter category, but still, a warning needs to be made to the world in general. Your philosophy is flawed in these areas.

Also,
Quote Originally Posted by Superglucose View Post
19/2+7 = 16.5 < 17

You're golden, bro.
Article 113, nice!

High five!