I wouldn't mind adding my opinion again to this discussion.

I agree with kowalski and nova. However, I understand where Zone is coming from when he talks about routines/canned material helping social intelligence and shyness infront of HB's.

I'll use my pesonal experience to elaborate (Zone, before you get defensive, the following is my personal experience, I am in no way suggesting that your experience mirrors mine). I'll be as brief as I can.

Years ago I would be in a bar/club, I would see a HB and a mate would say "go over to talk to her". Simple advice, and the correct one. However, at the time those words were useless to me - I felt like I didn't have a clue what to say to her and hence was far too nervous to approach.

Years later I read The Game and looked into MM and thought "This is fucking superb. With these openers and routines etc, I finally know what to say to women." I also looked into natural/inner game stuff, but I soon dismissed it, because I was convinced that being myself (shy etc) was the root of my difficult with women in the first place.

So for the first time ever I started approaching women with the jealous girlfriend opener etc. It didn't bother me at the time that the opener was BS, I was just happy that I was interacting HB's. However, when women started questioning the authenticity of the opener and my motives, I was shoved onto the backfoot so hard that I was falling over, because I knew I was talking shit and couldn't rationally defend it.

Then I started reading people's post regarding natural/inner game and e-books, and it was like I was reading it through a different pair of eyes to when I orginally read that kind of stuff 18 months ago. Now, my perspective has shifted and my mindset has changed.

However, I have no doubt in my mind that without reading The Game and MM (which as someone else said, does have some merit, and has definitely improved my knowledge on the psychology of women) - I would not have made the realization that I can be my natural, awesome self as long as I kick away all the fear and limiting beliefs that bury it.

So I truly am grateful for The Game, MM. You may say that I was lying and being fake when using it. Yes I was. But it was a start. And trust me, it was a hell of a lot better than what was happening before - which was nothing, just being incredibly frustrated and very miserable.

I'll end with a quote as I'm in a quotey mood -

"Lessons always arrive when you are ready, and if you can read the signs, you will learn everything you need to know in order to take the next step". Paulo Coelho, The Zahir (read on Jonny Wilkinsons autobiography!)