Modern Man chose this image to display “confident, relaxed and easy going” harassment. Look at her back against the railing as he confidently encroaches her space.

I so regret taking this on. Why is it so long? Do men even know how bloviating they truly are? Once more into the breach my friends with the second “mistake”men make when interrupting and harassing women wearing headphones.

2. Giving up too easily

Never have I ever so strongly desired to shin kick a perfect stranger as I do right now. 

Headphones are a great barrier between a person and the rest of the world.

Oh sure, when people abide by their clear meaning. 

Some women wear headphones because they don’t want guys or anyone else to speak to them, so if you try to talk to a woman and she clearly shows that she’s not interested in talking to you, just respect that and walk away. 

So close and yet so far from where it should be. I’d appreciate the statement to respect lack of interest if this entire ridiculously long how-to was not predicated on first ignoring a lack of interest.  So exactly how clear does she have to be for you to leave her alone? 

Does she need to concoct a fictional boyfriend or is resting bitch face sufficient? Will she have to out herself or will ignoring him make him go away? Maybe the author and his readers have concrete ideas of what’s enough disinterest to warrant respect, but it won’t be the same among them, and women will always be left guessing how rude they must be, and how rude it is safe to be. 

However, sometimes a woman will be interested in talking to a guy, but she won’t immediately pull out her headphones and show interest. Why?

Aaaaaaaaack! It’s the sexist male delusion known as Playing Hard To Get. Kill it with fire!!!!!!! 

Odds the author is greatly overestimating the interest level of the women he harasses? Astronomical. Also, I knew he was insincere in that bit about respecting her disinterest. 

Some women like to test guys to see how confident they really are and a favorite test of women, [stet] is to ignore a guy’s attempts to converse with her and see what he will do next.

Citation fucking needed. 

Will he walk away in shame, or will he remain calm and continue talking to her in a confident, easygoing manner? If a guy gives up at the first sign of resistance, most women will be turned off by his lack of confidence. 

You keep using that word. I don’t think t means what you think it means. Confidence is not aggression, bullying, social dominance, or violating boundaries. Confidence is self respect and self esteem and is not a conversation style. Respecting a woman’s no is neither a lack of confidence nor “giving up”. It’s respect.

So, if you are going to talk to a woman with headphones

No. 

just keep in mind that some women will immediately take off their headphones to chat to you

Wait. 

some will make it obvious that they don’t want to be bothered

Stop.

and others might want to talk to you,

Please. 

but first want to see if you will remain confident 

Don’t. 

if she doesn’t immediately begin talking to you. 

Why.