For Better Social Skills, Scientists Recommend a Little Chekhov | Hacker News Reader

For Better Social Skills, Scientists Recommend a Little Chekhov

well.blogs.nytimes.com

20 pointsgcheong7 comments

So the control group was given Heinlein and they were measuring empathy. Lols

That's not about Star Trek.

I've always wondered why girls like me so much. Now I know it's because I read so much, and not for my $250,000 car, and $10,000 watch.

PS: Just kidding. But for better social skills, there's no way to do that other than ... go out often and talk with people. There's no amount of reading or intellectual short-cut to it. You can even go to a well established men's forum like pua-zone (It says "PUA" as in Pick-up Artist, but it's way, way more than that).

In related PUA news: http://www.kickstarter.com/blog/we-were-wrong

In relation to that thing,

http://www.pua-zone.com/showthread.php?9070-Guy-funds-PU-amp...

It seems that anything that gets dudes laid without having to put women on pedestals(true equality), anything that gives men choice not to tolerate drama, gets you labelled misogynistic.

It's also safer for Kickstarter to put an end to it and be politically correct. I can understand the fact they want to focus on their mission and not get sucked in social matters.

It's easier to go with the majority than go against it.. But then again, Mark Twain nailed it with his "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." .. So maybe it is time to pause and reflect.

A very narrow interpretation. Reading quality literature is primarily about developing a theory of mind. How others think and react ,not about grabbing the women and not about you(which is what you understood from the post).What you imply to be social understanding is basically popularity,but knowing the desires of people in the room,how they react to each other and what they are capable of can be far more valuable than being the most popular person in the room.

For a more female theory of mind dip into Austen,it wont directly help in seduction but it will greatly aid perception.

Completely missed that reply, sorry for the delay.

Well, I've been raised on classic French literature since I could read, and I agree with you.

I read all the time. I'm afraid I am biased towards dead writers and philosophers, and not much of a "modern" or "polar" genres.

You're right. It gives you a certain subtlety that I found people who are not well read terribly lack. I have always been staggered by how most people couldn't pick cues in a person's behaviour that were so clear to me.

It also helps in rhetoric, and helps tremendously in conversation and understanding. You're right. Sorry for the delay.

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