Certain unknowable intentions

Lately, I find myself thinking about pickups at the weirdest moments.  Sometimes on the toilet.  Sometimes on the freeway. 

This time, I thought about it while reading news of eight people murdered halfway around the world.  If you follow Asian news, you might know I'm referring to last week's killing of a busload of Hong Kong tourists in the Philippines. 

The shooting made me think of the Philippines, a country I've visited on two occasions.  Anyone who has been there knows that the female natives are very friendly to foreigners.  They are so easy to pickup, it's not even funny.  And if you have some game and patience, you can get laid almost as easily too. 

You might think then that the Philippines is a PUA's paradise.  It's not.  I'll tell you why...

Superficially, these women are indeed very friendly.  But get to know them a little deeper and their primordial claws come out.  Two-thirds of the time, after you’ve befriended them, they would shamelessly ask for money in one form or another.  They would ask for it blatantly, ask to borrow it, ask for gifts, or ask for you to take them on dinners and outings. 

It's just a matter of time before most of them do.  And why not?  They assume you, the foreigner, is loaded, horny, and ready to rescue some third-world damsel in distress.

I can't fault them.  They live in a destitute, decaying country screwed up in almost every possible way.  But there's also something shoddy about their domestic culture, one that encourages people, even middle class people, to beg for money.  Everybody does it and they see no shame in it.

So therein lies the dilemma for PUAs there.  When girls give you massive IOIs, are they interested in you or your wallet?  When she displays that “doggy dog bowl look”, is she for real or just trying to monetarize your affections?  Without knowing, it's virtually impossible to determine what you're doing right or wrong.  The micro-calibration process so central to the Mystery Method cannot be performed with accuracy.

If getting laid is your primary objective, of course you don't care what she’s after.  But I have a feeling most people study the Mystery Method to pursue something a little more genuine.

Thinking about pickups in the Philippines, I've gained more appreciation for human relationships at home.  Here, a girl who offers friendship is probably motivated by affection, not financial self-interest.  I don't need to look over my shoulders to check whether her hands are in my wallet.  Even if they’re harder to get in bed, people who are genuine are definitely more worth having.