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Commentary (continued) A men's guide to the top plays women run on Match.com Hardship Baiting A finesse move. Your date will spend the evening probing for signs of your financial health. When you’re not forthcoming with the information—if you clam up when she steers the conversation towards real estate, vacations, and cars—she’ll suspect one of two things: You’re well-off but exceedingly non-materialistic; or, you don’t have a cent to your name. Now, she can’t prove the former, but she can get her manicured fingers around the latter. What she’ll do is mention several times throughout the evening that she’s got some small financial stresses, perhaps a condo that isn’t selling, a car that needs work, a client who hasn’t paid up. You’ll get sucked in slowly. You’ll offer consolation and advice. Then you’ll add that you…can…relate. And just like that, you’re done. She’s baited you into admitting that you have concerns about your finances, that you have a few big bills to meet, a few comforts you may have to give up. Never mind that she’s got the exact same pressures. Match.com dates aren’t about relating to each other. Christ, if you want to relate to someone, try eHarmony in Woodstock, New York. Once you’re hooked, the only internal conflict she has is figuring out which turned her off more, your admission or the fact that you fessed up so easily. It’s usually the latter. Nobody likes a patsy. Luckily, Hardship Baiting is easy to defend: When she sets the bait, keep your mouth shut. If you do talk, lie. Shrug and tell her how you can’t imagine how she feels. ---------- Remember, gentlemen, Match.com is a sea change in American sport. It’s the first contest in which women are stronger, fitter, and more organized than men. They know the rules and have the plays, and we don’t. So get with the program. Learn their maneuvers, and together, date by date, we can take back the night. -------------------- Chaz Browning is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Vyuz.com. He can be reached at: chaz@vyuz.com. Suggested Vyuz reading... Women, your Match.com photos are like fruit, and some of them are rotten | By Chaz Browning Tijuana Shakedown | By Alex Anderson Steve York, UCSD pornographer, chooses law over porn | By Larry Knowles The bare facts about Brazilian waxing | By Romina Cleary A look inside Imperial Beach border patrol | By Larry Knowles A serial networker walks among us | By April Labine-Katko |
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