To: Ilaine who wrote (32667 ) 3/17/1999 11:21:00 PM From: nihil Read Replies (1) | Respond to
I think we may have a problem here. You are perfectly correct about men appreciating flattery uncritically, but the idea that men will not misinterpret ((according to your lights) interest as sexual interest is often (very often) mistaken. Many men have sex or the possibility of sex almost always on their minds (except when engaged in it) and view most women (almost any woman) in terms of sexual accessibility and potential for sexual satisfaction (most men are very liberal in their views). Women who flirt should be very careful not to mislead. I believe (I may be wrong) that any (even moderately unhideous) woman who wants to attract almost any heterosexual unaccompanied man can do so by showing interest, eagerness, or rubbing up against him, depending on how much is needed to overcome his variable resistance. I cannot recall any man who has resisted even interest. Many men are horribly timid and incapable of taking the initiative even in the face of obvious initiatives by women. I was with a distinguished scientist the other night at a convention and the damned fool was so full of himself and his conisderable achievements that he ran off two good looking women (both D.C. lawyers, I believe) who were being exceedingly friendly to us. Now, I had no reason to believe that sex would occur, but surely there were a couple of late drinks ... and who knows what. And after all, the women had stopped to talk to us ...
