I've been reading Robert Greene's ‘The Art of Seduction.’ He looks at the many different ways we act around different people to essentially get them to do what we want. He speaks of characters like the Dandy, the flamboyant person who can woo with their style, the Naturals, those that use childish or impish tactics to win others over, and the Siren, the woman who uses her natural beauty to slay men. There are many that he goes through but essentially you can see how at different times in life, and with different people, you can slip into these roles.

We all do it. Throughout life, we glean different methods of manipulation from the people around us. One strategy may work for one person yet another would fail miserably. Through trial and error, we begin to practice and learn the art of seduction. Your intentions may not be evil in nature. You probably never sat down and scripted out a plot to bend someone to your desires, but somewhere inside you have developed strategies for those closest to you that you use when you need something from them. Maybe you pick a fight and ignore them until they come crawling back, ready to give you all that you ask. Perhaps you feed them with compliments until they feel compelled to do your bidding. Or maybe you wield artful innocence, playing helpless until your vulnerability wins them over. We all do it. But do you do it as well as you could?

"If you’re going to make love a priority in your life, think of it like any of your other passions."

By no means am I suggesting to rush out, buy the book and set to work with your schemes to get what you want from everyone. Rather, it’s more interesting to study how you relate to other people and how they relate to you. Our dating review site deals with relationships involving love. To that end, we focus on the most important relationship in life – the romantic one that you have found or are currently in search of. Understanding the personality and ways to push your partners buttons will come with time. Understanding how they push yours will come with experience.

Reading Greene’s book reminds me that there is so much to relationships that I have yet to understand. If you’re going to make love a priority in your life, think of it like any of your other passions. Your car needs regular tune-ups and work to keep it running. Football games require putting time aside and organizing your friends to watch it with you. Tests take careful study and preparation for you to do well. Relationships also demand this kind of attention to detail. It never hurts every so often to take a stroll through the bookstore and see what’s lining the shelves of the relationship section. You just might find something that could change your love life, and in turn your whole life, forever!