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Misinterpreting Social Cues

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This guy's stalkerish post-date email has gone viral on the internet over the past week. I think it is hilarious!
And... not a bad lesson in what not-to-do when you get blown off after a first date.

Now I'm going to wager that most guys on Lush will immediately agree that he's nuts, but if you look a little deeper into his whiny message, fess up. Do guys really think this way? Are you putting this much stock into social cues? And, have you ever gotten pissed off when a girl rejected you after you had what you thought was a 'great date'?



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A New York banker penned a 1600-word email after a bad first date - only for the object of his affections to leak it to the internet, where it went viral.

Investment banker Mike went on one date with Lauren - a date she described as "horrific" - and was so put out that she did not call him back that he tracked down her email address.

According to Mike, Lauren played with her hair and made eye contact during the date before telling him at the end of the night: "It was nice to meet you".

Lauren, it seems took a different view.

She posted the email on website Reddit, and gave a brief back story which said: "Friend couldn't make it to philharmonic at last minute so I went alone, met this guy, went on ONE, HORRIFIC date. Then got this..."

READ MIKE'S EMAIL TO LAUREN

Hi Lauren,

I'm disappointed in you. I'm disappointed that I haven't gotten a response to my voicemail and text messages.

FYI, I suggest that you keep in mind that emails sound more impersonal, harsher, and are easier to misinterpret than in-person or phone communication. After all, people can't see someone's body language or tone of voice in an email. I'm not trying to be harsh, patronizing, or insulting in this email. I'm honest and direct by nature, and I'm going to be that way in this email. By the way, I did a Google search, so that's how I came across your email.

I assume that you no longer want to go out with me. (If you do want to go out with me, then you should let me know.) I suggest that you make a sincere apology to me for giving me mixed signals. I feel led on by you.

Things that happened during our date include, but are not limited to, the following:- You played with your hair a lot. A woman playing with her hair is a common sign of flirtation. You can even do a Google search on it. When a woman plays with her hair, she is preening. I've never had a date where a woman played with her hair as much as you did. In addition, it didn't look like you were playing with your hair out of nervousness.

- We had lots of eye contact during our date. On a per-minute basis, I've never had as much eye contact during a date as I did with you.

- You said, 'It was nice to meet you' at the end of our date. A woman could say this statement as a way to show that she isn't interested in seeing a man again or she could mean what she said-that it was nice to meet you. The statement, by itself, is inconclusive.

- We had a nice conversation over dinner. I don't think I'm being delusional in saying this statement.

In my opinion, leading someone on (i.e., giving mixed signals) is impolite and immature. It's bad to do that.

Normally, I would not be asking for information if a woman and I don't go out again after a first date. However, in our case, I'm curious because I think our date went well and that there is a lot of potential for a serious relationship. Of course, it's difficult to predict what would happen, but I think there is a lot of potential for a serious relationship developing between us one day (or least there was before your non-response to my voicemail and text messages).

I think we should go out on a second date. In my opinion, our first date was good enough to lead to a second date.

Why am I writing you? Well, hopefully, we will go out again. Even if we don't, I gain utility from expressing my thoughts to you. In addition, even if you don't want to go out again, I would like to get feedback as to why you wouldn't want to go again. Normally, I wouldn't ask a woman for this type of feedback after a first date, but this is an exception given I think we have a lot of potential.

If you don't want to go again, then apparently you didn't think our first date was good enough to lead to a second date. Dating or a relationship is not a Hollywood movie. It's good to keep that in mind. In general, I thought the date went well and was expecting that we would go out on a second date.

If you're not interested in going out again, then I would have preferred if you hadn't given those mixed signals. I feel led on. We have a number of things in common. I'll name a few things: First, we've both very intelligent. Second, we both like classical music so much that we go to classical music performances by ourselves. In fact, the number one interest that I would want to have in common with a woman with whom I'm in a relationship is a liking of classical music. I wouldn't be seriously involved with a woman if she didn't like classical music. You said that you're planning to go the NY Philharmonic more often in the future. As I said, I go to the NY Philharmonic often. You're very busy. It would be very convenient for you to date me because we have the same interests. We already go to classical music performances by ourselves. If we go to classical music performances together, it wouldn't take any significant additional time on your part.

According to the internet, you're 33 or 32, so, at least from my point of view, we're a good match in terms of age. I could name more things that we have in common, but I'll stop here. I don't understand why you apparently don't want to go out with me again. We have numerous things in common. I assume that you find me physically attractive. If you didn't find me physically attractive, then it would have been irrational for you to go out with me in the first place. After all, our first date was not a blind date.

You already knew what I looked like before our date. Perhaps, you're unimpressed that I manage my family's investments and my own investments. Perhaps, you don't think I have a 'real' job. Well, I've done very well as an investment manager. I've made my parents several millions of dollars. That's real money. That's not monopoly money. In my opinion, if I make real money, it's a real job. Donald Trump's children work for his company. Do they have 'real' jobs? I think so. George Soros' sons help manage their family investments. Do they have 'real' jobs? I think so.

In addition, I'm both a right-brain and left-brain man, given that I'm both an investment manager and a philosopher/writer. That's a unique characteristic; most people aren't like that. I've never been as disappointed and sad about having difficulty about getting a second date as I am with you. I've gone out with a lot of women in my life. (FYI, I'm not a serial dater. Sometimes, I've only gone out with a woman for one date.) People don't grow on trees. I hope you appreciate the potential we have.

Am I sensitive person? Sure, I am. I think it's better to be sensitive than to be insensitive. There are too many impolite, insensitive people in the world.

I suggest that we continue to go out and see what happens. Needless to say, I find you less appealing now (given that you haven't returned my messages) than I did at our first date. However, I would be willing to go out with you again. I'm open minded and flexible and am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. I wish you would give me the benefit of the doubt too.

If you don't want to go out again, in my opinion, you would be making a big mistake, perhaps one of the biggest mistakes in your life. If you don't want to go out again, then you should have called to tell me so. Even sending a text message would have been better than nothing. In my opinion, not responding to my messages is impolite, immature, passive aggressive, and cowardly. I spent time, effort, and money meeting you for dinner. Getting back to me in response to my messages would have been a reasonable thing for you to do. In addition, you arrived about 30 minutes late for our date. I'm sure you wouldn't like it if a man showed up thirty minutes late for a first date with you.

If you're concerned that you will hurt my feelings by providing specific information about why you don't want to go with me again, well, my feelings are already hurt. I'm sad and disappointed about this situation. If you give information, at least I can understand the situation better. I might even learn something that is beneficial.

If you don't want to go out again, that I request that you call me and make a sincere apology for leading me on (i.e., giving me mixed signals). In my opinion, you shouldn't act that way toward a man and then not go out with him again. It's bad to play with your hair so much and make so much eye contact if you're not interested in going out with me again. I have tried to write this email well, but it's not perfect. Again, I'm not trying to be harsh, insulting, patronizing, etc. I'm disappointed, sad, etc.

I would like to talk to you on the phone. I hope you will call me back at xxx-xxx-xxxx (if it's inconvenient for you to talk on the phone when you read this email, you can let me know via email that you are willing to talk on the phone and I'll call you). If you get my voicemail, you can a leave a message and I can call you back. Even if you don't want to go out again, I would appreciate it if you give me the courtesy of calling me and talking to me. Yes, you might say things that hurt me, but my feelings are already hurt.

Sending me an email response (instead of talking on the phone) would better than no response at all, but I think it would be better to talk on the phone. Email communication has too much potential for misinterpretation, etc.

Best, Mike


http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/offbeat/12293937/ny-banker-s-1600-word-bad-date-screed/
I'm sure that everyone will agree that there's something seriously wrong with this banker. Either that, or he and this girl concocted the whole thing as a lark, and had no idea how intense the reaction would be. That said... Sure I've gotten pissed off when a girl blew me off after we had what I thought was a good date. I've also gotten pissed off when a girl stood me up after agreeing to go out with me. Is it something I obsess over? Not a chance. All that meant was that she lost the chance to find out if she and I could have had something good together. Plenty o' fish, and all that.
Working in a bank warps the mind.
Ah, this is a great wee story... the guy's really messed up, huh?

LM posted this a few days ago, on the same topic, there are a few other takes on it here:

A Serious Case of the Butt-Hurts

I don't think anyone thinks he's quite in his right mind...
to be honest I think it shows her lack of class that she posted it online or showed it to enough people that it went viral. He is a bit pompous but all she had to do was be honest with the guy.
The guy is a loon. If I received an email from someone I never gave my email address to I would show it to friends, too. If for no other reason but to confirm that I'm not the only one who thinks he's a stalker. If he really thinks this email is going to win her over, he's got more problems than the email itself suggests. I think her lack of response is all the response he needs to figure out he should move on. It's only one date, not a broken engagement!
Quote by Dancing_Doll
This guy's stalkerish post-date email has gone viral on the internet over the past week. I think it is hilarious!
And... not a bad lesson in what not-to-do when you get blown off after a first date.

Now I'm going to wager that most guys on Lush will immediately agree that he's nuts, but if you look a little deeper into his whiny message, fess up. Do guys really think this way? Are you putting this much stock into social cues? And, have you ever gotten pissed off when a girl rejected you after you had what you thought was a 'great date'?
/


To answer your question DD, no. I, and I think most men don't put much stock into "social clues". In fact, most of us are probably oblivious to them. This guy is the extreme. He is deperately looking for a connection and thinks that even one date equals a connection. In this case the desperation is from a man. Women do it too. We've all heard stories of a woman going on one date and changing her fb status to "in a relationship" or looking through bridal magazines. Desperate people do desperate things, regardless of their gender.

Have I gotten pissed when I was rejected after a "great date"? Pissed, no. Befuddled, yes. But I just chalked it up to experience. If she's not interested, she's not interested. No point getting all pissy about it. I mean really, clearly if she's not interested she mustn't have very good taste in men! lol



When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser. Socrates
Quote by Loislane
to be honest I think it shows her lack of class that she posted it online or showed it to enough people that it went viral. He is a bit pompous but all she had to do was be honest with the guy.


A few years ago I briefly dated this guy that I just recently discovered has an entire website and facebook page dedicated to his dating/seduction antics, including emails he's sent and the stories he's told to each jilted woman. Now my memories of him were pretty laughable and I admit I used to circulate certain emails from him among my female friends for laughs but I was just shocked that so many women had actually fallen for his lines and seemed so butthurt about it. This guy has been actively trying to get these sites taken down but it sounds like it's a work in progress. It would kind of suck to google your name and see it connected with all these bitter-ex-gf websites. The internet has become a tool for revenge and humiliation.



Edit: sorry I missed the original post by LM. I'm not as thorough in my searches as I used to be.
DD - I believe that whether we (males) are conscious or not about these clues, we pay attention to them because of only one reason: We have instincts. By looking at this in a purely biological perspective, there are going to be attitudes and gestures of the opposite (or same) sex that will have lead you to be seduced or be aroused sexually.

In this case, due to whatever reason, he made a point to consciously look for these "so-called" cues. What ever reason he is doing this is purely speculative and my hypothesis is that he read them in a men´s health / maxim type of magazine. His email read rather desperate, so he is looking to latch on to anything - hair playing, laughing etc...

And no, I´ve never been pissed of for being rejected, more sad than anything.
Rejection is part of life. No need to dell on it or ask why. just move on. There are always more opportunities and most often better opportunities.

That guy needs to just get over it. He had some issues, serious issues that could require therapy and medication.
You are invited to read Passionate Danger, Part II, a story collaboration by Kim and ArtMan.
http://www.lushstories.com/stories/straight-sex/passionate-danger-part-ii.aspx

Quote by ArtMan
Rejection is part of life. No need to dell on it or ask why. just move on. There are always more opportunities and most often better opportunities.

That guy needs to just get over it. He had some issues, serious issues that could require therapy and medication.


Very true.

This whole topic is interesting to me because I did have a similar experience to 'Lauren' after a random first date where I was polite and friendly but I didn't think I was putting off any social cues that I was particularly interested. When he called me afterwards trying to make plans for the next date, I just told him I had fun and it was nice to have drinks with him but I wasn't looking for anything serious. Then he proceeded to start sending me emails (both as himself and posing as someone else) that became progressively more stalkerish and psycho for the next six months, ending in a suicidal "if I can't have you I will kill myself" tragedy-fest.

Now admittedly, I do tend to attract the crazy types for some reason... but... I remember I kept going back over that night and trying to figure out if I had 'misled' him, which he had insinuated I had done. It seems a lot of guys get confused when a girl is being friendly, engaging, fun etc. and not overtly bitchy/quiet on a first date, which I suppose would clearly signal they aren't interested. I'm sure that goes for both genders though. I think that a naturally confident/outgoing (sales-type) personality always has the potential for misinterpretation.
Quote by Sandrine
He's clearly not playing with a full deck.

And half the cards he DOES have are jokers.
"There's only three tempos: slow, medium and fast. When you get between in the cracks, ain't nuthin' happenin'." Ben Webster