Since Casanova, men with god-given powers of seduction (called “naturals” by those obsessed with this stuff) have been the envy of those less fortunate with the ladies.

But recent generations have questioned the status quo. Eric Weber’s 1970 book How to Pick Up Girls  was hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as “The first guide to modern seduction theory,” and is credited with introducing the term “pickup artist” (PUA). Weber laid his claims open: “How to make girls horny and craving to have an orgasm.” Ross Jefferies capitalized on the arrival of the internet, creating “Speed Seduction,” one of the first websites dedicated to the art, in 1993. Thus, the sharing of success stories by PUAs to learn from each other’s experiences evolved, allowing people to be part of the so-called Seduction Community anonymously, without leaving their homes.

Neil Strauss’ 2005 book The Game carried the PUA into mainstream non-fiction and television via VH1 last summer, bringing the Seduction Community and its culture into popular consciousness.
Being a PUA is essentially about tackling the challenge of meeting women as if it were a subject taught at grade school, and treating women themselves as if they were pieces of machinery who’d respond as desired if the right buttons were pushed. Excursions into the nightlife (known as “sarges,” named after Jeffries’ cat) are followed by in-depth analysis submitted to associated forums as “field reports.” Common techniques include the use of “negs” (backhanded compliments such as “I like that skirt, those are really popular these days”), learning how to spot for “IOIs” (indicators of interest) and tackling the “AMOG” (alpha male of the group).

A language employing acronyms and adaptations of words like “kino” (from kinesthesia, meaning “to be touched”) developed, and there’s a 10-page glossary attached to the back of Strauss’ book. Bound by this lingo and inspired by The Game and other famous PUAs, groups sprang up online organized by everyone from high school kids to members of the US Navy, arranging “sarges” over Facebook and swapping their best openers.

Strauss’ main character, Mystery (also known as Erik Von Markovic), hails from Toronto, so it’s not surprising there’s such a huge following in the city. Although many online groups are international, posts by members looking for local “wing men” are common, and there’s also a Toronto-specific scene. A guy by the name of “V” writes an informative Toronto-based blog (www.becomingapua.com), sharing notes taken from seminars by some of the big boys in the industry (including Extramask, one of Mystery’s teachers).

Gillette’s Toronto Lair: The Official Lair for the Art of Pick Up, Seduction & Relationship Management is another professional-looking organization based in Toronto, whose next local meeting is on April 6. Forbidding alcohol, asking just a $2 donation and encouraging attendees to bring notebooks, it’s like going back to school, but with a more attractive incentive.