American author and part-time misogynist Neil Strauss is the man responsible for breaching the divide between pickup artists and nice blokes.
The author set himself a task: infiltrate the ‘seduction community’… and become a pickup artist.
Listen to Jessie Stephens talk about her blind date with a Neil Strauss wannabe on Mamamia Out Loud. Post continues after audio…
In 2005, Strauss published The Game – a detailed recount of every step in his journey to becoming ‘Style’, his pickup artist alter-ego. It flew onto The New York Times bestsellers list within months, and with good reason…
Strauss hand-picked psychological techniques used by professional pickup artists to trick women, and he circulated them.
In The Game, he created the lonely man’s Bible.
And from this - from the lonely man's Bible - one pickup technique stood out above the rest...
Negging.
Used on any pickup target and loved for its ease, the 'neg' is a backhanded compliment designed to create insecurity in a person.
The pickup artist will point out a feature of another person they deem 'negative', but frame the insult as a compliment: "The hair on your upper lift is really soft", for instance. Or, "I like that you don't dress as flashy as your friends".
Usually used by men, 'negging' is misogyny of the highest degree.
You see, the initial 'neg' disarms a woman. It makes her feel vulnerable and insecure by pointing out a flaw. Probably one she's noticed already.