Highly needy men will end up in relationships
sometimes, but only with highly needy women. The highly needy man
is constantly working to earn a woman's approval, and a highly
needy woman is constantly in need of a man's approval. So the two
conspire together, usually with one creating drama/emotional
meltdowns and the other one endlessly fixing it. This relationship
is toxic and can harm each person's self-worth.#252•
Chapter 2: Power in Vulnerability
For instance, making yourself vulnerable
doesn't just mean being willing to share your fears or
insecurities. It can mean putting yourself in a position where you
can be rejected, saying a joke that may not be funny, asserting an
opinion that may offend others, introducing yourself to a group of
people you don't know, telling a woman that you like her and want
to date her. All of these things require you to stick your neck out
on the line emotionally in some way. You're making yourself
vulnerable when you do them.#289•
As vulnerability researcher Brene Brown says, "The
less you talk about your shame, the more of it you have."#292•
Chapter 3: The Gift of Truth
You can say the lamest and grossest (or
funniest, depending on your perspective) thing to women, and if the
sub-communication is, "I really don't care if you laugh or run away
horrified, but here's who I am, take it or leave it," this
sub-communicates a rock-bottom level of investment and an
incredibly high level of vulnerability.#258•
Again, being a
"nice guy" is never much different than being a narcissist. One
only gives. The other only takes. But both are the same in their
desperation for approval.#245•