By JC Idol - jcidol@luckymail.com - May 7th, 2009
When going out to sarge, it is important to remember that one of the strongest assets you have is your perceived value. When you walk in to a venue and look like you know everyone from the door guy, coat check girl, bartender, DJ, the bouncers and various other attractive, high value individuals, you are going to have higher associated value right off the bat. People observe that you "know the right people" and automatically place you higher in the pecking order in their mind before even paying attention to any other detail about you. After that, they may take notice of more specific details as you move in to closer proximity to them such as your clothes, your hair, your posture or even your voice. Since many set rich environments for people to game are drinking establishments, a quality woman will also take note on your self control and how you handle alcohol. Of course, if she is already a drunken mess this wouldn't matter to her but being men of value means finding women of value to be with. You don't want to be with a girl who is a drunken mess, would you? No, you want to be with a woman of value. And a woman of value feels the same when it comes to men. If you don't want her to be a drunken mess, she is going to feel the same about you. But let's take a look at why...
Now, while it is true that drinking can help lower inhibitions, this shouldn't be a crutch to get over AA (Approach Anxiety, not the other AA associated with drinking). Someone who is actually good at their craft should be able to game without alcohol in their system. Saying you can only get the balls up to approach after you have a few drinks in your system is nothing more than an excuse that you aren't comfortable enough with yourself. In effect, you actually transform yourself in to a slightly different person by drinking in order to be the "party guy" who can talk to anyone. In essence, you are actually deceiving the people you are approaching that night if you couldn't have done the same with no alcohol in your system. You are also deceiving yourself. The phrase "A drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts" rings true in most cases, but especially when it comes to approaching sets. Anything you say while drunk should be something you should be able to say to the same girls while sober. To think anything otherwise either means you aren't as good as you think you are or you don't have the self confidence that you already should.
Getting drunk will also drastically lower your overall perceived value. People of high value have a distinguished and charismatic tone when they speak. Slurring your speech has the exact opposite perception. In addition, your stories will become less coherent and hard to follow. You may become easily distracted and unable to listen during a conversation. Additionally, as your attention starts to wander, you may inadvertently discount your interest in your target past the point of no return. While a sober enough PUA could recover, being drunk will most likely cause you to attempt a miserable recovery with little hope of success. And if you are drinking to the point you are getting sick, there is nothing more unattractive to a woman than knowing that the guy she is talking to just came back from vomiting all over the bathroom. It doesn't matter how many mints you take or how much gum you chew, people can still tell.
But this doesn't mean I discourage consumption of alcohol at a venue that is primarily there to serve it. I in fact encourage it... in moderation. Drinking is a social activity and if you are at a venue where that activity is common, being a part of that social interaction is a good thing. Just make sure you know your limit before you start drinking and make a promise to yourself every night not to cross that line. While I don't think anyone will ever force you to drink, it does stand out in a venue if you are the one person not drinking. Be prepared for the associated shit-tests that will come from it. Alpha males will likely accuse you of being a pussy for not drinking. Girls may flat out ask you why you aren't drinking. An appropriate response for some may be to tell people you are fun enough without needing to drink. If that happens though, don't go back to being a wall flower. Be that fun guy. If you are fun enough and telling engrossing stories, people won't even have the opportunity to notice you aren't holding a drink. Another great response is that you are the designated driver. It shows a sense of responsibility to your friends but again, make sure to still be a fun person. If you aren't fun in any circumstance, people at a bar will not be likely to be drawn to you.
One more important note on not drinking at a bar, if you aren't drinking please make sure it is for the right reasons. If you don't like alcohol or have a legitimate reason why you aren't drinking, it's fine. Do not under any circumstances decide not to drink so you can take advantage of women you are drunk. Under no circumstances is this ever acceptable and if you are considering it, don't. It is low as dirt to do something like this. If it has been a "technique" you have employed, don't consider yourself a Pick Up Artist. Consider yourself nothing more than a predator who should be locked up.
Another reason not to drink to excess is because it not only drops your value, but it drops the value of anyone associated with you. No one wants to be associated with the stumbling mess, the guy who passed out at the bar or the dude who is puking his brains out in the alley next to the door. At the very least, if not for yourself, don't because "that guy" so your wingmen don't have to either explain your actions or dismiss you. While a great wingman can still pull it off, you never want to put your friend in that kind of awkward position. He has enough external interrupts to contend with that you won't be able to aid him with because you are inebriated. Don't add another to his list that you are the cause of.
Getting drunk is okay to do every now and then. If you plan on doing it, make sure the people you are going to be with know what they are getting in to. And if you are going to do it, don't plan on gaming that night. Any night you game, be in a good headspace with as little distracting you as possible. The last thing you want to do is make a mistake that will haunt you for a long time coming because you got too drunk and couldn't keep your game in check.
Tags: Drinking Gaming Alcohol Winging
