Ace of Spades HQ

October 10, 2012

Lifemanship: Some Notes Concerning The Current State of the Science
— Ace

As I mentioned previously, I have become a devotee of Stephen Potter's "Gamesmanship" theory of games and social interactions -- a theory that says, in short, why should the game go to the skilled? Or the admiration to the virtuous? Or the respect to the expert?

What about the rest of us? Why shouldn't we have that social credit, just because we lack skill, virtue, or experitise?

I don't play many games, so the principles of gamemsanship, while providing a solid foundation, are not directly useful in my life. But the principles of Gamesmanship -- winning without technically cheating -- can be applied profitably to social situations of all sorts. This is the sub-field of "Lifemanship."

I have little social interaction with humanity because I'm frankly not a fan. But I was compelled recently to enter a social setting, and I decided that I would use the principles of Lifemanship to undermine social rivals and steal social credit for myself.

One of the central principles of Lifemanship is to rely upon -- or "abuse," if you like -- the natural tendency of people to be polite and consider that in any case of offense, they might be the ones primarily to blame. To, as Dr. Potter so eloquently put it, "convince one's rivals that something, however slightly, has gone wrong, and it's likely their fault."

Theory is all well and good, but practice -- deployment in the field of play, as it were -- is something else again. And thus I sallied forth to put what I have learned into good use.

The scenario: A casual introduction leads to a brief, collegial conversation.

The mark: Someone who is more successful than I am. Which is most people, frankly, but I don't talk to people very often, so usually I am spared the pangs of inadequacy.

The strategem: The simplest of ploys, really. At this point in my education I don't feel comfortable using more advanced gambits and tactics. In this case, I simply went with the crude, brute-force method of suggesting my mark had committed an offensive faux pas.

ME: Well I'm surprised to be meeting you here. How did you get into [your field of expertise] in the first place?

THE MARK: Well I never really planned on it, I just sort of--

ME (deadpan, with bite): No, no, do keep talking about yourself.

The result: A complete flummoxing, as Dr. Potter predicted. Accusing him of monopolizing the conversation, not ten words into an answer to a question I had in fact asked of him, left him speechless, and wondering what he might have done to warrant such an aggressively rude response.

The aftermath: Given that this was merely a Test Run -- I am not yet a Lifeman and certified to attempt these ploys in actual social combat -- I explained to The Mark I had run a ploy on him, as part of a Laboratory of Lifemanship experiment. He seemed reassured to know that he was not, in fact, guilty of any faux pas, and I was not, at least not demonstrably, a lunatic.

I have forwarded this data to the Lifemanship Institute in England for further analysis. It is entirely possible that these ploys, having been left to fallow for so long, are now effectively novel again, and may be of usefulness to the practicing modern Lifeman. Perhaps a Renaissance in the Art of Being a Dick may yet come.

Posted by: Ace at 01:42 PM | Comments (174)
Post contains 590 words, total size 4 kb.

1 First. And Ace, try to get out just a bit more.

Posted by: BCochran1981 at October 10, 2012 01:46 PM (GEICT)

I have little social interaction with humanity because I'm frankly not a fan

These.....these are my people. This is my place.

Posted by: eleven at October 10, 2012 01:46 PM (fsLdt)

3 what the fuck is this? The Lifetime CHannel BLog?

Posted by: jeremiah Gosh Darn Amerikkka wright at October 10, 2012 01:47 PM (ovpNn)

4 " at least not demonstrably, a lunatic."

Plausible deniability, Ace. Sometimes it's all a moron has.

Posted by: Iam Nota Merican at October 10, 2012 01:47 PM (ndlFj)

5 Ace is all about gamesmanship, I'm all about Cocksmanship.

Posted by: Jolly Roger at October 10, 2012 01:47 PM (t06LC)

6 I have little social interaction with humanity Let's keep it that way!

Posted by: Your Mark at October 10, 2012 01:47 PM (FcR7P)

7 A colleague of mine did the gamesmanship thing continuously. The boss thus loved her, but everyone else hated her and didn't trust her.

I finally retired just to get away from her.

She'll get hers.

Posted by: PJ at October 10, 2012 01:47 PM (DQHjw)

8 Even Greg the troll doesn't know what to do with this post.

Posted by: T at October 10, 2012 01:48 PM (IWwgs)

9 May be time to re-read How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie.

Posted by: Craig Poe at October 10, 2012 01:49 PM (BVkEs)

10 Lifesmanship sounds a lot like Assholemanship.

Posted by: Minuteman at October 10, 2012 01:49 PM (1FOy5)

11 How did someone who is that much of a pansy end up more successful than you?

Posted by: Whoever this is, it's definitely not Michael at October 10, 2012 01:49 PM (JVCVF)

12 ME: Nice factory you got here. FACTORY GUY: Yeah, it's almost brand new. We built it just a couple years ago. ME: You didn't build that! Game. Set. Match. Fuck you, I won.

Posted by: Baraka, Lifemanship Emeritus at October 10, 2012 01:49 PM (V/U0X)

The art of being a dick is most certainly not dead.

Do you drive, ever?

Posted by: Gunslinger at October 10, 2012 01:49 PM (4S7hN)

14 As a lifelong asshole, eager to expand my natural talent and acquired skillset, I love these forays of yours into the hitherto unknown.

This shit is right in my wheelhouse, even though I'd never heard of it.

I assume "plonking" is tangentially related.

Posted by: eastvalleyphx is climbing out of the crawlspace at October 10, 2012 01:50 PM (GRvW4)

15 I'd a' put my cigarette out in your drink, then asked you if you'd like another.

Posted by: Michael Rittenhouse at October 10, 2012 01:50 PM (2Oas0)

16 Does Dr. Potter Congress needs to be doing som impeachments. But, they won't, so this shit will just happen over and over and over. We all know that Barky is an enemy who needs to be impeached, tried and punished to the fullest extent of the law. That Congress won't even talk about this possibility (and I don't give a shit whether the Senate would convict or not - that is not the point) is allowing the worst traitor in American history to continue on, unfettered. The American Socialist Superstate is here and it tastes like A.S.S. This is so fucking pathetic, though not surprising after the Suicide by Indonesian vote in 2008. I just wish we had anyone but that crybaby shithead Boner. He is almost as bad as Benedickhead Roberts in their giving aid and comfort to the treasonous Indonesian and his junta. Fucking assholes. Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at October 10, 2012 05:25 PM (X3lox) Does Dr. Potter address the scenario where someone doesn't realize what you are doing, but does realize they didn't do anything, and you are, in fact a rude asshole? Or how about when they realize you are a rude asshole and they call you out on it. I suppose his advice at that point consists of 'cover your face; you don't want to get punched in the face.'

Posted by: blindside at October 10, 2012 01:50 PM (x7g7t)

17 I have little social interaction with humanity because I'm frankly not a fan

brother from another mother?
having no reason to go out amongst flesh and blood humans, i dont.

Posted by: trailortrash at October 10, 2012 01:50 PM (xllDV)

18 One of the central principles of Lifemanship is to rely upon -- or "abuse," if you like -- the natural tendency of people to be polite and consider that in any case of offense, they might be the ones primarily to blame. Be very, very careful. This only applies to Westerners. In most of the rest of the world, and especially in the Tribalism/Shame/Revenge arab world where everything is someone else's fault and the "shamed" arab must exact revenge on YOU for their mistakes, you probably wouldn't make it out of the party in one piece.

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at October 10, 2012 01:51 PM (X3lox)

19 Is this what happens when you wait too long to fap?

Posted by: cajun carrot at October 10, 2012 01:51 PM (UZQM8)

20 Gamesmanship. Or what we used to call an "ethical vacuum". Welcome to the Brave New World, folks.

Posted by: Brother Cavil presents at October 10, 2012 01:51 PM (GBXon)

21 WTF? Stupid fucking copy-and-paste. Goddamn edit window needs to be larger. Just disregard.

Posted by: blindside at October 10, 2012 01:51 PM (x7g7t)

22 Next up, asking the mark in a loud voice, so as to be overheard, "You did what with a goat? Dude, you're sick!"

Posted by: Blanco Basura at October 10, 2012 01:52 PM (xKC/c)

23 Someone who is more successful than I am. Which is most people, frankly, but I don't talk to people very often, so usually I am spared the pangs of inadequacy.

So, that's why I love it here. I don't feel so all alone!

Posted by: jeanne at October 10, 2012 01:52 PM (GdalM)

24 Looking at more than 1,000 Billboard hits since 1965, his team found that the average song has become longer, slower, and less happy-sounding. The share of major-key songs dropped from 85 percent of pop hits in the 1960s to just 42 percent in the 2000s.

http://tinyurl.com/8vcyla2

Down twinkles.

Posted by: LC LaWedgie at October 10, 2012 01:52 PM (0It32)

25 I have little social interaction with humanity because I'm frankly not a fan

---

I got your back brah.

Posted by: Hoarder at October 10, 2012 01:52 PM (BVkEs)

26 I see where Ace is going with this, by the way. Anytime someone does something skeezy and harrumphs they did nothing illegal, and that therefore they simply don't know what the fuss is all about, bam. Gamesmanship in action. Familiar to anyone yet?

Posted by: Brother Cavil presents at October 10, 2012 01:52 PM (GBXon)

27 >>Perhaps a Renaissance in the Art of Being a Dick may yet come. My husband went to an executive coach a couple of years ago. Most of the dude's advice seemed to revolve around this theory. Be a dick. Never apologize. Don't compromise. Needless to say my husband, who is not a dick (and is very respected in his field and successful sans dickishness) just played along for the few months of this stupid coaching and ignored virtually all of the advice. I think he may have backed off a bit on being apologetic in situations where there was scheduling/rescheduling, but that's about it. I cannot abide manipulative, self-centered people. Life is too fucking short and too goddamn difficult to not make an effort to be honest, polite, and even nice to people. I'm the kind of person who does make an effort with others and it makes every little interaction I have with complete strangers an opportunity to feel good or to help someone else feel good.

Posted by: Y-not at October 10, 2012 01:52 PM (5H6zj)

28 I have little social interaction with humanity because I'm frankly not a fan.

Now I understand why you go hobo hunting.

Posted by: dantesed at October 10, 2012 01:53 PM (t8SVQ)

29 Nice abyss you have there.

Posted by: Othered at October 10, 2012 01:53 PM (EuW9O)

30 I like to bump it up a notch. Pull that shit on me and your car is keyed. How's that for abuse.

Posted by: Minuteman at October 10, 2012 01:53 PM (1FOy5)

31 Well, couldn't you just go with the tried and true English, motherf*cker. Do you speak it?

That seems to put them off theirs paces too.

Posted by: GnuBreed at October 10, 2012 01:53 PM (ccXZP)

32 I am not sure lifemanship would work on the majority of morons. You might get punched in the face or told to go pound sand up your ass.

Posted by: Sherrif Joe at October 10, 2012 01:54 PM (nTgAI)

33 Just disregard. Posted by: blindside at October 10, 2012 05:51 PM (x7g7t) Drat! I had such a witty retort, too

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at October 10, 2012 01:54 PM (X3lox)

34 eleventy!!!!

Posted by: Mike Dukakis at October 10, 2012 01:56 PM (GvYeG)

35 You guys know this is a joke, right? Although I really did do this. But I did, as I said, immediately explain it was a joke I was running on people.

Posted by: ace at October 10, 2012 01:56 PM (LCRYB)

36 I always carry superglue and my imagination. They help remind dicks why they shouldn't be one.

Posted by: Minuteman at October 10, 2012 01:56 PM (1FOy5)

37 Perhaps a Renaissance in the Art of Being a Dick may yet come.

---

Ah, the Golden Age.

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 10, 2012 01:56 PM (Hx5uv)

38 24 Looking at more than 1,000 Billboard hits since 1965, his team found that the average song has become longer, slower, and less happy-sounding. The share of major-key songs dropped from 85 percent of pop hits in the 1960s to just 42 percent in the 2000s. http://tinyurl.com/8vcyla2 Down twinkles. Posted by: LC LaWedgie at October 10, 2012 05:52 PM (0It32) --Interesting, if only for the reason that "Call Me Maybe" is associated with the word "complex."

Posted by: logprof at October 10, 2012 01:56 PM (V/U0X)

39 I think George Carlin summed it up: Fuck you, and anybody looks like you.

Posted by: dodging bullets in Chicago at October 10, 2012 01:57 PM (befMf)

40 <i>the average song has become longer, slower, and less happy-sounding.</i>

I blame Stairway to Heaven.

Posted by: jeanne at October 10, 2012 01:57 PM (GdalM)

41 Actually what it is is most normal people seek to avoid confrontation. They taught us that in one of our management classes in dealing with problem people.

People who enjoy confrontation are displaying aberrant behavior. In short, they are sociopaths.

Posted by: Vic at October 10, 2012 01:57 PM (YdQQY)

42 Oy.

Posted by: jeanne at October 10, 2012 01:57 PM (GdalM)

43 No wonder Pam Gellar refused to be your chicken...

Posted by: tasker at October 10, 2012 01:57 PM (r2PLg)

44 >>35 You guys know this is a joke, right? Yeah, I know it's a joke -- that YOU don't subscribe to it -- but it is a "thing," right? I mean, there are people who live this way.

Posted by: Y-not at October 10, 2012 01:57 PM (5H6zj)

45 It is, of course, the "gamesmen" who made it illegal to punch someone in their fucking cake hole for being a complete ass. Because without the force of The State to protect them, they make of themselves constant targets. Of course, with that power, they rise to the top, as so many have observed. I find the entire concept reprehensible, and possibly a fatal weakness in Western Civilization - the coddling of assholes.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at October 10, 2012 01:58 PM (bxiXv)

46 As Eddie Murphy said " haha very funny motherfucka "

Posted by: Sherrif Joe at October 10, 2012 01:58 PM (nTgAI)

47 Now I see the "joke".

Posted by: Vic at October 10, 2012 01:58 PM (YdQQY)

48 I bought Potter's first book based on Ace's recommendation, and it's short, but brilliant and subtle. I'd recommend it to anyone who reads this blog, because there elements common to both. I'd like to see Ace write an updated, more profane continuation of Potter's research.

Posted by: Pastafarian at October 10, 2012 01:58 PM (KC3A2)

49

Some dickhead financial guy tried some shit like that with me on the phone. Called me up and started talking about how we had a conversation a few months back about this great stock, and if I would have taken his advice, yada yada.

I promptly told him that we had no such conversation, I had never spoken to him before, that it wasn't appreciated, and hung up on him.

Fuck that douchebag sideways.

Posted by: tod von oben at October 10, 2012 01:58 PM (UaxA0)

50 Crap, R.I.P. Alex Karras, Mongo from Blazing Saddles. Another Moron gave a heads-up that he was ill, but I did not expect him to pass so quickly.

Posted by: logprof at October 10, 2012 01:59 PM (V/U0X)

51 I stopped masturbating for this?

Posted by: Joe Biden at October 10, 2012 01:59 PM (mcWHD)

52 >>>Yeah, I know it's a joke -- that YOU don't subscribe to it -- but it is a "thing," right? I mean, there are people who live this way. Potter's books are deadpan parodies, replete with scholarly notes and "Fig. A" and "Fig. B" and other indicia of high academic study.

Posted by: ace at October 10, 2012 01:59 PM (LCRYB)

53 If you'll recall, Harry Reid successfully deployed this exact tactic in 2008 on John McCain. In the midst of the financial crisis, he screamed for McCain to show up to Washington and do his job. Then McCain soon suspended his campaign, and Harry Reid immediately pivoted to "what is this asshole doing injecting politics here in the middle of a crisis!" Not to make everything political, but Harry Reid mastered this tactic. Of course, Harry Reid is a well known son of a bitch (as well as pederast), so it is likely of little surprise to anyone.

Posted by: Dave S. at October 10, 2012 01:59 PM (6Zy+s)

54 45 It is, of course, the "gamesmen" who made it illegal to punch someone in their fucking cake hole for being a complete ass. Because without the force of The State to protect them, they make of themselves constant targets. Of course, with that power, they rise to the top, as so many have observed. I find the entire concept reprehensible, and possibly a fatal weakness in Western Civilization - the coddling of assholes. Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at October 10, 2012 05:58 PM (bxiXv) Picturing the diner scene from Boondocks Saints. FUN-NY! FUN-NY! FUN-NY!

Posted by: BCochran1981 at October 10, 2012 02:00 PM (GEICT)

55 People who enjoy confrontation are displaying aberrant behavior. In short, they are sociopaths.

Posted by: Vic at October 10, 2012 05:57 PM (YdQQY)

My shrink, who is totally NOT buried in a 55-gallon drum somewhere in the desert, once said something similar.

Posted by: eastvalleyphx is climbing out of the crawlspace at October 10, 2012 02:00 PM (GRvW4)

56 35 You guys know this is a joke, right? Although I really did do this. But I did, as I said, immediately explain it was a joke I was running on people. Posted by: ace at October 10, 2012 05:56 PM (LCRYB) __________________ You know what the hell did we do? First the Althouse link. Then--the Shep Smith vid. Now--the gotcha! You're like that PuNK'ed show on MTV blogging style. Pffffttt...

Posted by: tasker at October 10, 2012 02:00 PM (r2PLg)

57 (With James Mason's voice)

Joke? That was a joke?

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 10, 2012 02:01 PM (Hx5uv)

58 I do not get it, really. Seems as if you tapped into a decent guy/gal. If it were an @$$hole, he would have told you to f*ck off. I would have just stared at you and eventually walked away. Or, just laughed. No one impresses me, and bad people are of no use to me. You would have been no use to me. Bad people exist. Bad people I ignore. And, yeah, I even read Games People Play, as well as many other brain, mind books. Perhaps it is the glass of wine talking... but what's the next game?

Posted by: what am I missing? at October 10, 2012 02:02 PM (LpQbZ)

59 Why would anyone actually want to be a dick? You're pissing in the well everyone drinks out of. In the old days society had many more tool for dealing with dicks: tar, feathers, rails, blankets, towels, bars of soap.

Posted by: Minuteman at October 10, 2012 02:02 PM (1FOy5)

60 Ace - Lying in the dark way to long just thinking......thinking......thinking.

Posted by: Soona at October 10, 2012 02:03 PM (isjdZ)

61 I find the entire concept reprehensible, and possibly a fatal weakness in Western Civilization - the coddling of assholes. --- In academe the phenomenon is to excuse bad behavior because the person in question (usually a faculty member) is "smart." My response to that was always, "hey, we're ALL smart here. We'd better be goddamn smart; we've spent years specializing in whatever esoteric branch of scholarship we're chosen. That's no excuse for being a dick." But this is the way some people live and it's pathetic. Very little makes me as incensed as some stranger going out of their way to be a prick, usually to someone they don't know whom they assume to be, for whatever reason, of lower status than they are.

Posted by: Y-not at October 10, 2012 02:03 PM (5H6zj)

62 You guys know this is a joke, right?

Ah, so now you're trying to run the Double Reverse Lifeman. Fuck you, you're not fooling me, Sergeant Serious.

Posted by: The Mega Independent at October 10, 2012 02:03 PM (6JMZR)

Sad thing is there are people like that out there and some fall for their bullshit. Everyone at some point will end up dealing with a sociopath or two sometime in their life.

Posted by: The Jackhole at October 10, 2012 02:03 PM (nTgAI)

64 I blame Stairway to Heaven. Posted by: jeanne at October 10, 2012 05:57 PM (GdalM) --"Stairway to Heaven" is probably the most played song on the radio which was never released as a single. It was probably the first song that came to mind from this article, even though it was probably the vanguard of the trend and was against the grain of its day.

Posted by: logprof at October 10, 2012 02:03 PM (V/U0X)

65 Wow. You seem to have hit a nerve.

Posted by: eleven at October 10, 2012 02:04 PM (fsLdt)

66 So...Ace has proven what we have all suspected, but had no data to demonstrate.

He's a douchebag, just like the rest of us.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at October 10, 2012 02:04 PM (2b4yb)

67 Ah, so now you're trying to run the Double Reverse Lifeman. Fuck you, you're not fooling me, Sergeant Serious. Posted by: The Mega Independent at October 10, 2012 06:03 PM (6JMZR) ________________ LOL!

Posted by: tasker at October 10, 2012 02:05 PM (r2PLg)

68 You guys know this is a joke, right? Posted by: ace at October 10, 2012 05:56 PM (LCRYB) The original was a joke, too, but it did describe how lots of people think and what they consider "fair" and what they "deserve". There are too many people in our society who think winning by cheating is perfectly appropriate and are happy to hold up ill-gotten and pathetic Nobel prizes for nothing or Precedencies of the Harvard Lawn Review as if they mean something.

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at October 10, 2012 02:05 PM (X3lox)

69 Sounds great in theory. In. theory. Until you meet a bigger dick.

I am that dick in such a situation. Under your scenario, I think I'd ask, "What the hell is your problem?" without a hiccup.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at October 10, 2012 02:05 PM (eHIJJ)

70 I'm not just flummoxed. I'm north of bamboozled and approaching gobsmacked.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at October 10, 2012 02:05 PM (QKKT0)

71 I bet the guy had a kind of confused look on his face as he was driving your nose bone into your brain.

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at October 10, 2012 02:05 PM (+lsX1)

72

ace, what do you mean by "parody"?

They Lifesmanship things are imitations of the kind of academic instruction manuals of the past, but on a subject matter that is not meant to criticize the content of those manuals. This idea is not a parody, it is mimicry.

I'm not exactly sure how to classify it, but it is a re-purposing of the technique for reasons that do not equate to ridiculing the original.

Maybe that is parody, but it is different from what I'm used to calling parody.

Posted by: tod von oben at October 10, 2012 02:05 PM (UaxA0)

Ironically STH is my least favoirte Led Zep song.

Same with "Money". Boring ass song.

Posted by: eleven at October 10, 2012 02:06 PM (fsLdt)

74 Potter's books are deadpan parodies, replete with scholarly notes and "Fig. A" and "Fig. B" and other indicia of high academic study.

Op. cit. is when shit gets real.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at October 10, 2012 02:06 PM (QKKT0)

75 It's amusing how so many readers of this blog seem to have so little of a sense of humor.

Posted by: Jason at October 10, 2012 02:07 PM (YT5Q5)

I am usually the nicest, politest person in the world. You will get one pass when being a dickhead to me or mine. After all, everyone makes mistakes sometimes. But if you are regularly a dickhead, you will get called on it, LOUDLY, PUBLICALLY, and EMPHATICALLY. And you will get shunned.

I have had jobs where I have explained to managers that, "Sorry, I just am unable to work with Doe, please ask someone else to do that." And every time, they agreed with me. And they usually asked Doe's boss for someone else.

Posted by: rd does not believe the MSM at October 10, 2012 02:07 PM (zLp5I)

77 I have found that during political discussions with my relatives (well, mostly my wife's side) that accusing them in a loud voice of being anti-Semitic tends to work quite well.

Since we are all Jews it makes for some odd and awkward pauses.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at October 10, 2012 02:07 PM (2b4yb)

78 Everyone at some point will end up dealing with a sociopath or two sometime in their life. --- *raises hand*

Posted by: Y-not at October 10, 2012 02:07 PM (5H6zj)

79 Am spending a weekend with three liberal couples in 1 house fior three straight days at the famous yearly scheduled Austin City Limits music festival this weekend (or as Ambassador Rice calls it - a "spontaneous three day jam session in response to a television show") and I will try this theory out on the libs. I swore to avoid politics but I dare say I cannot control my wife, the former communist 20-something turned now fire breathing conservative mother who acts as if the government in general and Obama in particular are trying to kill her cubs, savings and country, and confrontation is in the cards. At least I have Romney's debate performance memorized. 5 of the six don't know me from adam so I may be the dick in the end regardless so might as well earn it testing this theory.

Posted by: Mac Gootbone at October 10, 2012 02:07 PM (zU4CK)

80 I had an SEO (Search Engine Optimization - generally vicious scammers) marketer cold call me and inform me that my organization was ranked number nine for a particular keyphrase on Google.

I told him I was happy being number nine. He said "You're happy with nine? But I can get you ranked better." I said "No, I like being nine. It took a lot of work to get to nine. I'm proud of nine."

Dummy had no idea what to say and crawled out of the call.

Posted by: The Mega Independent at October 10, 2012 02:08 PM (6JMZR)

81 Everyone at some point will end up dealing with a sociopath or two sometime in their life.

---

*raises hand*

Posted by: Y-not at October 10, 2012 06:07 PM (5H6zj)

Very good, now you will know how to tell if you meet another one

Posted by: The Jackhole at October 10, 2012 02:09 PM (nTgAI)

82 >>>Perhaps a Renaissance in the Art of Being a Dick may yet come.

So in this instance, a properly deployed air-biscuit would be considered gauche?

Posted by: Fritz at October 10, 2012 02:09 PM (vm7ot)

83 Op. cit. is when shit gets real. Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at October 10, 2012 06:06 PM (QKKT0) Yeah, who is that guy? And how about that guy Ibid? I mean, he must be a big fuckin' deal since I see him quoted all the time, but I can't find him in my encyclopedia. Was he so ancient that no on knows anything about him?

Posted by: Sheriff Joe Biden at October 10, 2012 02:09 PM (V/U0X)

84 I have a theory as well. My theory is that the shape of people's heads reveals a lot about their personality. For example, a forehead with a crease in it shaped similar to a tire iron is indicative of a practitioner of Gamesmanship.

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 10, 2012 02:09 PM (Hx5uv)

85

It's a joke, but there are actually people like this still in daily life. So yeah, we have to wonder if there's any seriousness in your attempted Asshole Renaissance.

Make it easy on all of us, just go take a boxing class.

Posted by: tod von oben at October 10, 2012 02:09 PM (UaxA0)

I don't practice Gamesmanship, but what Ace did seems to have been something different from what was posted here a few weeks ago.

I thought the goal was to say something more subtle, to be glossed over in the flow of conversation, but leave the other guy wondering what's wrong with him.

This seemed more like dropping a tire iron on his foot, so he'd only wonder whether it was an accident.

Posted by: Michael Rittenhouse at October 10, 2012 02:10 PM (2Oas0)

87 This idea is not a parody, it is mimicry.Posted by: tod von oben

That's obtuse. Can you show one example of a parody that does not mimic?

Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] [/b] at October 10, 2012 02:10 PM (bCaR9)

88 >>> ace, what do you mean by "parody"? they're parodies of How To Books for Young Gentlemen, for example. I don't know if the scholarly flourishes count as a parody of academic writing. It seems to me it does, but your mileage may vary. At any rate, these books are *humor.* They're not real.

Posted by: ace at October 10, 2012 02:10 PM (LCRYB)

89 It's amusing how so many readers of this blog seem to have so little of a sense of humor. Posted by: Jason at October 10, 2012 06:07 PM (YT5Q5) Lifesmanship, Chap. 4 Sec VI: "Never let anyone else think he is funny, especially if he is. Laughing at another's jokes is a fatal weakness that undermines your ultimate goal of total control of the interaction, especially for the intended audience."

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at October 10, 2012 02:11 PM (X3lox)

90 But this is the way some people live and it's pathetic. Posted by: Y-not at October 10, 2012 06:03 PM (5H6zj) Because they can get away with it. Because there's little you can do without harming yourself more than them. Because if they get what they want even 5% of the time, they "win" and they will never, never stop - because the only penalty the other 95% of the time is shame, which they don't understand. It's like kids' temper tantrums - if you give in once, they will do it every time, because that one negative example is magically more powerful than all the positive feedback in the world.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at October 10, 2012 02:11 PM (bxiXv)

91 Lifesmanship. The driving force of every drill sergeant.

Posted by: Soona at October 10, 2012 02:11 PM (isjdZ)

92 Make it easy on all of us, just go take a boxing class.

Posted by: tod von oben at October 10, 2012 06:09 PM (UaxA0)

Ahhhh, don't waste your time, Ace. Just hand them one of your movie reviews.

Posted by: eastvalleyphx is climbing out of the crawlspace at October 10, 2012 02:11 PM (GRvW4)

93 10 Lifesmanship sounds a lotlike Assholemanship. I tested out. Got a Phd. At least, according to my ex.

Posted by: rickb223 at October 10, 2012 02:11 PM (d0Dmj)

94 But I did, as I said, immediately explain it was a joke I was running on people.

Posted by: ace at October 10, 2012 05:56 PM (LCRYB)

The guy still thinks your an asshole, so you've got that going....

Posted by: Meremortal, it wasn't me at October 10, 2012 02:11 PM (1Y+hH)

95 I'd hate to be you if I were me. Wait..... what?!

Posted by: The Turtle on the fence post at October 10, 2012 02:12 PM (HZCkA)

96 I sorta did something like this to a dude at the bar once.

He and his buddies strolled in like the cocksure young men they were, and we eventually struck up a conversation.

One- a young guy of maybe 25- mentioned that he owned his own business (after I asked). His friends were obviously very proud of that fact.

It didn't take long for me to figure out that his business was little more than a couple/few guys with a pickup truck and a box of tools. More of a business than I ever owned though.

I immediately started heaping non-sarcastic, effusive praise and admiration for him, making it sound like he was the the new Bill Gates, having built a multi-billion dollar empire from his garage.

He knew I was vastly overstating his position, and so did his friends... but they didn't want to contradict me out of pride. Yet, it also made me look like a nice guy paying compliments, while giving the illusion that he was the dishonest one for overplaying his status in life. Even though he did no such thing.

They became a little more humble after that.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at October 10, 2012 02:12 PM (SY2Kh)

97 I thought the goal was to say something more subtle, to be glossed over in the flow of conversation, but leave the other guy wondering what's wrong with him. Posted by: Michael Rittenhouse at October 10, 2012 06:10 PM (2Oas0) --It sounds like the back-handed stuff "players" are taught to say to women (well, at least women with low self-esteem) to manipulate them.

Posted by: logprof at October 10, 2012 02:12 PM (V/U0X)

98 Good thing you dont get out much. Because in my circle the "Jimmy the Greek" strategy would supersede. Odds are you would be missing teeth mid sentence during the first interruption.

Posted by: Marcus at October 10, 2012 02:13 PM (uCkv8)

99 That's obtuse. Can you show one example of a parody that does not mimic?

I thought parody meant repeating stuff. You know, like a parrod.

Posted by: Joe Biden at October 10, 2012 02:13 PM (QKKT0)

100 I admit to playing a little game taught to me by one of my past supervisors. The idea is to insult someone so subtly that they are uncertain whether they were insulted and in such circumstance that it would be inappropriate for them to respond.

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 10, 2012 02:13 PM (Hx5uv)

101 I encountered a "dickhead" or should I say a "vjayjayhead" last week in a parking lot.She parks her car two cars away from me and gets out. Obama sticker and coexist stickers on her car. The car directly next to her had already started to pull out when she walked behind the poor guy. Mind you I was waiting for him to pull out. She started ranting at him about him trying to hit her and kept yelling and screaming at him. He was apologizing profusely. After about 2 minutes of this I had enough and told her to back off. She wasn't too happy and said something under her breath and sulked away. The poor guy thanked me...

Posted by: Hello, it's just me Donna at October 10, 2012 02:14 PM (9+ccr)

102 Hey Ace, big fan, long time lurker....

Please give this up. This is the behavior I have seen from Libs and Progs my whole life. In many ways it explains how we find ourselves in this mess.

I know too many who have applied "gamesmanship" to everyday life, (pro poker player) and reduced themselves to asshats.

Posted by: Jack Wagon at October 10, 2012 02:14 PM (KUPae)

103 -It sounds like the back-handed stuff "players" are taught to say to women (well, at least women with low self-esteem) to manipulate them.

Posted by: logprof at October 10, 2012 06:12 PM (V/U0X)

It's called a "diss", and yes, it works. Unbelievable, but true nonetheless.

Posted by: eastvalleyphx is climbing out of the crawlspace at October 10, 2012 02:14 PM (GRvW4)

104 It's like kids' temper tantrums - if you give in once, they will do it every time, because that one negative example is magically more powerful than all the positive feedback in the world. Which is why my kids get their butts beat each and every time they pull that.

Posted by: BCochran1981 at October 10, 2012 02:15 PM (GEICT)

105 Stairway to Heaven and Money were gateway drugs to deeper Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd so I forever thank those songs even if I never listen to them anymore

Posted by: Mac Gootbone at October 10, 2012 02:16 PM (zU4CK)

106 Explaining the joke was a total beta move buddy. You should've fake punched to make him flinch then walked away chuckling and shaking your head.

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at October 10, 2012 02:16 PM (+lsX1)

107
88 This idea is not a parody, it is mimicry.Posted by: tod von oben
That's obtuse. Can you show one example of a parody that does not mimic?
Posted by: weft cut-loop

not all mimicry is parody, all parody is mimicry.

Weird Al is parody.

The political songs where they move the mouths of the cartoon candidates is mimicry. At least as far as the song is concerned.

Like I said, I'm confused about it.

Posted by: tod von oben at October 10, 2012 02:17 PM (UaxA0)

108

Posted by: Hollowpoint at October 10, 2012 06:12 PM (SY2Kh)

----------------------------------------------

If it would have been me you were addressing, I would have accepted the kudos. Then I would have told you that your were going to die broke, cold, and alone.

Posted by: Soona at October 10, 2012 02:17 PM (isjdZ)

109 94 10 Lifesmanship sounds a lotlike Assholemanship. I tested out. Got a Phd. At least, according to my ex. That was my wifes pet name for me....at least that's what she called me all the time.

Posted by: BignJames at October 10, 2012 02:17 PM (rlFQ+)

110 Isn't it ironic that the only thing that could bring me, the biggest dick in the house, was my own dick. So I got that going for me. Which is nice.

Posted by: Anthony Wiener at October 10, 2012 02:17 PM (1FOy5)

111 Which is why my kids get their butts beat each and every time they pull that.

You should look into one of those "invisible fence" electric dog colors. They've got the learning curve of a smack on the head with 1/10th the physical effort and 10 times the hilarity.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at October 10, 2012 02:18 PM (QKKT0)

112

Posted by: Jack Wagon at October 10, 2012 06:14 PM (KUPae)

Yep, libs have tried that crap with me. They don't like the outcome

Posted by: The Jackhole at October 10, 2012 02:19 PM (nTgAI)

113 If it would have been me you were addressing, I would have accepted the kudos. Then I would have told you that your were going to die broke, cold, and alone.

And then I'd just have laughed at you for being a simpleton.

But I'm sure you're used to that by now.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at October 10, 2012 02:19 PM (SY2Kh)

114 >>>xplaining the joke was a total beta move buddy. You should've fake punched to make him flinch then walked away chuckling and shaking your head. yeah I know but I don't REALLY want to be a dick. It was a private joke for an audience of one. I didn't want him to actually think he'd done something wrong.

Posted by: ace at October 10, 2012 02:19 PM (LCRYB)

115 Ace, considering your affinity for Lifemanship and non-afffinity to mastering your domain, I recommend J.P. Donleavy's "The Unexpurgated Code". It comes in particularly handy when caught urinating into a sink or piquantly shivering one's timbers.

Posted by: Dirks Strewn at October 10, 2012 02:19 PM (Rrc6j)

116 so ace basically gamesmanshipped himself I think your problem was that you were too polite

Posted by: joeindc44 found the last comment to be vile, particularly vile at October 10, 2012 02:19 PM (QxSug)

117 Just had a thought. (Stunning I know.) Didn't Bawny Fwank do this back in the day? Busted for doing a male page or intern and come out blasting away with both barrels. Basically told people to fuck off and mind their own business. Am I remembering the story right?

Posted by: BCochran1981 at October 10, 2012 02:20 PM (GEICT)

118 Skiils/lack of skills: Isn't that like Marcus Aurelius's son Commodus in Gladiator:

Posted by: jb at October 10, 2012 02:20 PM (wALu2)

119 I think you'd come off looking like a bit of a loon. Asking a person a question about their career and then cutting them off when they answered. Something a person with a Borderline Personality Disorder might do. Maybe that's who the whole Gamesmanship theory is for. Loons with a Borderline Personality Disorder.

A more subtle approach was taken by a girl I knew who would ask something like, "What have you been up to?" and then look away as I gave my answer like she was embarrassed for my answering with more than a one word answer of, "Nothing." I caught on and then started answering with, "Good!" when she'd ask what I'd been up to. That gave her the feeling I hadn't listened to her and it would flummox her to no end. To which I would fap with an insatiable furiosity. Sometimes in full view of the other dinner guests! But I haven't been to a dinner party in ages.

Posted by: Dang© at October 10, 2012 02:21 PM (R18D0)

120 You should've fake punched to make him flinch then walked away chuckling and shaking your head.

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at October 10, 2012 06:16 PM (+lsX1)

---- ---- - ----- --- - -- - -- - - - - ---- ------- - ----- -- - -- - - - - -- - - - - - -

The nastiest fake punch is the one in which you put your fist an inch from the bridge of someone's nose. Then you hit the bridge with a very slight blow.

The person's eyes immediately well up, making it very difficult to respond to you in any forceful way.

Until later. So remember that.

Posted by: Meremortal, it wasn't me at October 10, 2012 02:22 PM (1Y+hH)

121 I think a 40,000x better game is preparing yourself to be able to pull the rug out from under "gamesmen" in a decent (dignified?) fashion for when they inevitably turn up. It is not as easy, because you aren't setting up the situation so you don't control it. But it would actually be doing something positive.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at October 10, 2012 02:23 PM (bxiXv)

122 It sure seems like there are enough "Lifesmanship/Jerks" around without there being an institute promoting and encouraging it. The effect of your conversation on me would be 1) relief that I hadn't actually offended you and 2) a lack of trust in what you might say to me in the future.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at October 10, 2012 02:24 PM (i0App)

123 Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a miserable failure.

Posted by: steevy at October 10, 2012 02:25 PM (6o4Fb)

124

>> Perhaps a Renaissance in the Art of Being a Dick may yet come.

Interesting. For myself, as far as the Art of Being a Dick is concerned, I like to think I've taken a little natural ability and refined it into something truly, really quite special.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at October 10, 2012 02:25 PM (Jm7mj)

125 Lifemanship isn't that just-- NYC? Or being n oakland Raiders fan?

Posted by: tasker at October 10, 2012 02:26 PM (r2PLg)

126 Note that the term for "group gamesmanship" is "community organizing" or "angry mob" depending on where you are.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at October 10, 2012 02:26 PM (bxiXv)

127 Every time somebody calls me a dick, which happens on a regular basis, I simply tell them "Dickness runs in my family" It usually shuts them the hell up. If they keep yammering, A right cross also helps to quiet them.

Posted by: jdickfalcon at October 10, 2012 02:27 PM (hj2rL)

128 As a student of Lifesmanship and game theory, surely you've thought out what to do if the tables had been reversed. So, what if after your sarcastic,"No, no do keep talking about yourself" he had busted out a "Oh please accept my apologies, for a second I completely forgot this party was in celebration of you and your accomplishments!" What then? When you get two Lifesmanshippers together does it just spiral into some kind of inverse-fractal meta Super Bowl of sarcastaball?

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at October 10, 2012 02:28 PM (+lsX1)

129 Polls are basically political gamesmanship.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at October 10, 2012 02:30 PM (bxiXv)

130 I have a similar sense of humor, ace. That's why I have very few friends. Even they say I'm a dickwad but they enjoy when I jerk someone else's chain.

Posted by: eureka! at October 10, 2012 02:35 PM (cTjRR)

131 Urinating on a fellow's shoes? Gamesmanship, my friend. Gamesmanship.

Urinating on a lady's shoes? Panache.

Posted by: Dang© at October 10, 2012 02:36 PM (R18D0)

132 Man, what a dick.

Posted by: The Mark, after you've left the room. at October 10, 2012 02:36 PM (JVEmw)

133 >>>what to do if the tables had been reversed. So, what if after your sarcastic,"No, no do keep talking about yourself" he had busted out a "Oh please accept my apologies, for a second I completely forgot this party was in celebration of you and your accomplishments!" as a general rule Lifemen do not attempt to battle other Lifemen in social combat. The ploys are really designed for the Uninitiated, that is to say, marks. There are recorded bouts of Lifeman vs. Lifeman but they generally result in draws, or absurdity. Lifemen are advised to quickly suss out who the other "Players" are, and avoid them.

Posted by: ace at October 10, 2012 02:36 PM (LCRYB)

134 Be prepared to be punched in the nose. That's my advice to anyone pulling this kind of crap.

Posted by: cranky-d at October 10, 2012 02:36 PM (d1w7Q)

135 Oh, it was a joke. Okay.

Sometimes you fool me, sir.

Posted by: cranky-d at October 10, 2012 02:38 PM (d1w7Q)

136 Barney Frank's entire existence is predicated upon being a dick in every conceivable circumstance. And I don't mean that sexually. He's just a dick.

Posted by: Truman North at October 10, 2012 02:39 PM (HC4tT)

137 Try pulling this type of shiite if you are less than 6 feet tall.

If you are, find yourself pulling up out of a trashcan...

Posted by: Mr Wolf, Esq at October 10, 2012 02:41 PM (UIAT6)

138 There are recorded bouts of Lifeman vs. Lifeman but they generally result in draws, or absurdity.

Oh, thanks. Your insight is super interesting!

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at October 10, 2012 02:41 PM (+lsX1)

139 This is wrong.

Posted by: Serious Cat at October 10, 2012 02:45 PM (zrpqj)

140 Counter-Lifeman Strategy is well beyond the scope of this blog, or my very basic education in the field.

Posted by: ace at October 10, 2012 02:45 PM (LCRYB)

141

"You should've fake punched to make him flinch then walked away chuckling and shaking your head."

Ace, what if the guy had done this to you when you interrupted him?

Touche?

Posted by: RM at October 10, 2012 02:46 PM (TRsME)

142 Lifemanship is just aggressive pop psychology for low performing hipsters.

Posted by: Cackfinger at October 10, 2012 02:46 PM (CCHli)

143

And these games will work... on NICE people...

Run into assholes... like... oh.... myself? or the people I hang with... or even my Lady friend? and things will quickly escalate out of hand....

Heck... my Lady, known as Little Red? would leave you a quivering pool of slime on the floor after that 'gambit'...

Posted by: Romeo13 at October 10, 2012 02:48 PM (lZBBB)

144 Lifemanship is totally the kind of 'bluffing with a small cock' shit that Bill Maher would be into BTW.

Posted by: Cackfinger at October 10, 2012 02:48 PM (CCHli)

145 141 Counter-Lifeman Strategy is well beyond the scope of this blog, or my very basic education in the field. Posted by: ace at October 10, 2012 06:45 PM (LCRYB) The simplest counter-gamesman strategy is to loudly observe the strategy of the gamesman. "Oh, you set that up nicely, asking for something and then berating them for giving it to you. Crass, but well-performed monkey trick. bra-vo."

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at October 10, 2012 02:48 PM (bxiXv)

146 The "polite" way to do gamesmanship is called "personality typing."

Look up the book The Art of Speedreading People.

It's about the Myers Briggs personality theory.

/BTW, I don't like people because I'm an introvert. Also, I want them to get off the lawn, and if someone comes over unexpectedly, I may or may not actually open the door. Because if I wanted company, I would have invited someone over.

Posted by: shibumi at October 10, 2012 02:51 PM (z63Tr)

147 Games. spit I hate games. Despise the people who play em.

Posted by: teej says go K-State at October 10, 2012 02:52 PM (PNi9V)

148 "Oh, you set that up nicely, asking for something and then berating them for giving it to you. Crass, but well-performed monkey trick. bra-vo."

"Nicely done. The way you lured me into your trap by so convincingly playing the part of a witless dullard was magnificent."

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at October 10, 2012 02:53 PM (+lsX1)

149 Ace, if you were a woman feminists would call my kiss "rape."

Posted by: Max Power at October 10, 2012 02:56 PM (q177U)

150 creepy, huh?

Posted by: Max Power at October 10, 2012 02:56 PM (q177U)

151 Shiboooms! You? An introvert? Would never have guessed. But then, I never would have tried. Hope you're gettin' on well kid.

Posted by: teej says go K-State at October 10, 2012 03:01 PM (/tk/V)

152 It's difficult to navigate the shark filled waters if you have a moral compass. Sometimes you can step back and see how well they have played the game knowing full well that you already charted their every move before they even considered the move. In fact, it is entirely possible for the moral compass, ethics crowd to smoothly guide you into a trap of your own making because you underestimated them.

Posted by: pray for peace at October 10, 2012 03:02 PM (oZfic)

153 [[waves]]

Hi Teej!

How are you doing??

I'm hanging in there. Picked up my R/R lawn sign today.

As for the introversion thing... it fools everyone. Even people I know in person. The fact that I don't go to parties, have a cat and refer to my house and my 'fortress of solitude' should give them a clue though.

Posted by: shibumi at October 10, 2012 03:03 PM (z63Tr)

154 @153- moral compass. Thanks pray for peace. Nice observation. Guess it's the reason I hate "the games people play". If you know the song... People "playing games" are usually trying to get over on other people. And yeah, that phrase will tell ya how old I am.

Posted by: teej says go K-State at October 10, 2012 03:08 PM (+jNI+)

155 I tend to keep em fooled too. Only time I do semi well around "strangers" in my own eyes is when I'm playing music, working the crowd on break. Even then it's just surface stuff. How's the volume? Mix sound okay? kind of stuff. I'm doing good. Have my fingers crossed a placement guy who called will get me an interview for a lab job he called about. Scratch the kitten's belly for me.

Posted by: teej says go K-State at October 10, 2012 03:16 PM (JCIjD)

156 Huh?

Posted by: Gerry at October 10, 2012 03:42 PM (GlXr0)

157 One of the central principles of Lifemanship is to rely upon -- or "abuse," if you like -- the natural tendency of people to be polite and consider that in any case of offense, they might be the ones primarily to blame. To, as Dr. Potter so eloquently put it, "convince one's rivals that something, however slightly, has gone wrong, and it's likely their fault."

You are a cunt.

Posted by: flyonthewall at October 10, 2012 04:00 PM (pePug)

158 I did that. A guy said he noticed I gained weight. I did. I was underweight, that's what he was commenting on, and then I was normal, but right then the host walked by and I said the guy was just then telling me I'm fat. He wasn't and don't care anyway but it was fun being a dick.

Posted by: bour3 at October 10, 2012 04:11 PM (5x3+2)

159 Do any of you actually read the blog? This gamesmanship is some funny stuff. Ace doesn't write as much humor as he once did, or as much as we would all like; then when he does, no one knows what he's talking about.

Posted by: Pastafarian at October 10, 2012 04:28 PM (KC3A2)

160

One observation. A lot of people who are dicks develop a sort of dickish "persona" (like Barney Frank as noted above or Maxine Waters-Miss "I don't have time for nice."). Most normal people hate to always be arguing with/confronting/sparring with these people, so over time the dicks tend to get their way most of the time. Accordingly they get cut far more slack than most people. Over time people refer to them, instead of "a Dick", with descriptions like "brutally honest, hard edged, tough, edgy, sharp elbows, no B/S, tells it like it is", etc. Almost admiring, sometimes.

The gamesmen (and most dicks seem to know this intuitively) are strategically halfway nice or OK to deal with every once in a while. Then they get double credit. When they are halfway polite or reasonable, people go "Oh, wow, this person is really being OK here. Let's just go with the flow", and "Geez, I dealt with them a couple of times, they were a little prickly but if you scratch beneath the surface, they are really pretty decent."

Ugh.

Posted by: RM at October 10, 2012 04:31 PM (TRsME)

161 "I have little social interaction with humanity because I'm frankly not a fan. But I was compelled recently to enter a social setting, and I decided that I would use the principles of Lifemanship to undermine social rivals and steal social credit for myself." fuckin love this guy

Posted by: Snoop Dogg's Index Finger at October 10, 2012 04:40 PM (Mj4Zt)

162 About Potter's OneUpmanship books ("How To Win Without Actually Cheating") -- ignore the recent pathetic American remake with Billy Bob Thornton, and go directly to the marvelous b&w English classic take on the books starring Alistair Sim (the best Scrooge of all time) and Ian (PBS' Lord Peter Whimsey) Carmichael.

Posted by: herbork at October 10, 2012 05:07 PM (ZNwHw)

163 Oops! I forgot to be specific: "School For Scoundrels" is the title of both movie versions.

Posted by: herbork at October 10, 2012 05:11 PM (ZNwHw)

164 Ace, just wanted to say thanks for writing this up. Could say more, but it's quittin' time.

Adios, 'rons/'ettes, till tomorrow!

Posted by: Mary in LA at October 10, 2012 05:15 PM (9wOfB)

165 141 Counter-Lifeman Strategy is well beyond the scope of this blog, or my very basic education in the field.

Posted by: ace at October 10, 2012 06:45 PM (LCRYB)

I would have just raised an eyebrow and responded "Well, we could talk about you, but I suspect I'm much more interesting."

It's a perfect gambit, because it can go either way-drop the eyebrow into a wink with a big hearty laugh and a clap on the shoulder, and it's all a joke- or keep the eyebrow cocked and drop your chin a touch and you're asking him through your body language if he really, really wants to call this particular tune, because you're ready to dance.

It's not hard to counter buffoons like this, you just have to have a quick wit.

Posted by: Weirddave at October 10, 2012 05:50 PM (aH+zP)

166 I'm a big Stephen Potter fan, from finding Gamesmanship, Lifemanship, and One-Up-Manship lying around my house as a kid. I liked the dry dry wit, even as a 10-yr-old, without exactly knowing why I should. Love it even more now. Potter is an example of British humor in the extreme, and as dry as a desert. The illustrations are perfect accompaniment. That said, I *NEVER* suspected I'd be reading about Potter on any blog, ever. Kudoes.

Posted by: Wry Mouth at October 10, 2012 06:07 PM (074Wj)

167 I was a dick once to a guy at a Superbowl party a years few back. I had never met him before, at the time.

He was smiling and smirking, trying to be funny.

He comes over to me and says: "Hey, I'm John. This party is boring, isn't it?"
ME: "Yes, but I'm going to change that."JOHN: "Really? How are you going to do it?"ME, deadpan: "I'm going to kick your ass."JOHN, eyes getting bigger, leaning back: "You can't do that. These guys here are my friends. They've got my back."ME, calmly: "I'm pretty sure I can put you on the floor before they can intervene."
JOHN slowly backs away, keeping his eyes on me. He doesn't mention boredom again.
I thought to myself "Why did I do that? I don't even know this guy." Later I find that he truly is a dick, fully deserving of any shit anyone gives him. My initial impression and instinct turned out to be correct--which is remarkable since I'm generally not a good judge of people.
Anyway, I'm thinking that being a border-line dick could be useful in quickly evaluating people. You can always say, "Sorry man. I was trying to be funny, but just ended up sounding like a dick. I'm actually a nice guy with limited social skills."

Posted by: Kevin Copple at October 10, 2012 06:59 PM (a55Ts)

168 Oops, cut and paste seems a little tricky here. I'll be more careful next time.

Posted by: Kevin Copple at October 10, 2012 07:01 PM (a55Ts)

169
Why not just try to be a little more alpha and at the same time, be NICE but not SUPPLICATING. Really no need to be a dick, and no profit in it, neither social nor economic.

Posted by: Sphynx at October 10, 2012 07:08 PM (F22l6)

170 I just don't get it.

Posted by: sinalco at October 10, 2012 07:13 PM (zDJDu)

171

So Ace is not a fan of people... but he/she has fans that are people?

Am I over thinking this? Hilarious story bro!

Posted by: petunia at October 10, 2012 10:50 PM (DAcBA)

172 Welcome to the world of the pick up artist.

Posted by: Mellow at October 11, 2012 04:42 AM (I0voc)

173 Accusing him of monopolizing the conversation, not ten words into an answer to a question I had in fact asked of him, left him speechless, I'd have either gone off on you, come back with a I'd rather talk about myself than listen to you drone on about yourself or said If you don't want to hear my answers, stop asking questions.. Age and cunning: I haz it.

Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie ® at October 11, 2012 05:28 AM (1hM1d)

174 I love finding out I am part of a group that I had no idea about...well done Ace!! lolz

Posted by: Brian at October 11, 2012 05:40 AM (wTSvK)

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