David DeAngelo's 'Attraction' and 'Cocky Funny' Methodology

Key Economic Insight

David DeAngelo, a former student of Ross Jeffries, emerged as a distinct figure in the PUA community, establishing his rival business 'Double Your Dating' after a personal conflict with Jeffries. DeAngelo strategically distanced his approach from NLP and hypnosis, grounding it instead in evolutionary psychology and his signature 'cocky funny' principle. He consciously reframed 'seduction'—which he defined by its dictionary meaning as an 'enticement to wrongdoing' and 'inducing a woman to consent to unlawful sexual intercourse by enticements which overcome her scruples'—as 'attraction.'

His concept of attraction focused on self-improvement, advocating that men should work on themselves to become 'magnetically attracted' to women. DeAngelo's seminars were meticulously organized and scripted for mass consumption, aiming for mainstream appeal without the crudeness or explicit manipulation often associated with other PUA methods, though he controversially recommended 'Dog Training by Lew Burke' for tips on handling girls. He deliberately avoided naming competitors, instead focusing on elevating the underground world of pickup by not acknowledging its subterranean origins, marketing himself as an innovator rather than a direct rival.

DeAngelo's 'cocky funny' style evolved from his early experiences as a struggling real estate agent practicing flirting on America Online (AOL), where he discovered that aggressively 'busting women's balls' was ineffective. He instead adopted a playful, teasing demeanor—stealing lines, accusing women of hitting on him, and never giving them an easy pass. This approach, shared with figures like Rick H. and former Speed Seduction student Grimble, who found it more 'rewarding' than creepy, established a dynamic where women are made to 'work for' attraction by giving it value, showing others like it, and making it scarce.