Telling the difference between a friend, a lover, and a provider?

[The-Nash]

I was reading in a magazine and it said that girls can tell the difference from when a guy is presenting himself as a friend, a lover, or a provider - sometimes even before the guy realizes it.

Girls, Is it really that obvious?

Yeah, I can tell

Only sometimes

It's hard to tell

[Da-Boss]

Women know what kind of dude is approaching them within the first minute they interact. with each other.

To me a friend is the guy that's not getting laid, the lover is the guy getting laid, and the provider is the man the woman marries after she's had her fill with the lover. Sometimes she'll even keep the lover on the downlow while still being married to the proider. Oooooo. Scary.

[martyfellow]

I can usually tell and I'm not a girl. Yes, guys are usually pretty obvious. If they have money they flaunt it, if they want sex they make it clear right away, and someone who is in neither category is almost always either shy or just wants to be a friend.

I would guess that it's even more obvious to girls.

[TheoryOfAvarice]

I can tell, sometimes. If I'm paying attention, then yeah. I agree with Shlei3, girls can be quite analytical when it comes to these things. Plus men act so differently when they present themselves as friends, lovers, etc., it's usually not hard to notice.

[Shlei3]

For the most part we can tell cause we're very analytical and perceptive. It's not to say that guys aren't. I'm just saying guys don't always over analyze and discuss as much as we do.

[Da-Boss]

Ha! I disagree. There are "dating gurus" out there that hold conventions that deal with teaching men how to attract women.

Women don't analyze anything. They interpret. There's a difference. When you anazlyze something, you don't take action. Men will analyze why a woman flips her hair when she's talking, but not do anything about it. Women will interprets a man's body language and from that point place a label on him without him ever knowing.

[The-Nash]

Definition of analyze: To examine methodically by separating into parts and studying their interrelations.

definition of interpret: To explain the meaning of something

Men and women try to do both when they interact.

[Shlei3]

Let me speak on my personal opinion. I can tell for the most part. I'm not always 100% on the dot correct. But for the most part it's clear to me. By the way someone would need to analyze before they interpret. You can't explain something/someone correctly unless you understand them. So yes there is a difference and I will agree that women and men do both. Women, for the most part, tend to analyze more than men do. Men, generally, are not as methodical as women are.

[The-Nash]

Lol, I agree with you shlei3, but I have another question if you don't mind helping out - do you think this is because women generally have more of a risk when dating in terms of like - becoming pregnant or anything like that? Or is it something else?

[Shlei3]

Personally I have always analyzed to fit my criteria at the time being. Nowadays I am more about having a serious, beautiful, fun and loving commitment. There is more at stake as I'm thinking more towards my future. Men do this as well but because I'm a man I can't tell you to what extent. I just know what I do.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I read about that too - that girls get certain impressions of us when we are dating them, and whatever that impression is, whether lover, friend, provider, etc., the girl tends to always see the guy that way. I think it's true too, because it's hard to see someone you've always seen as a friend as a lover, etc. Just my opinion.

[likeyeah]

i can tell when a guy is a provider but the line between friend and lover can get a bit fuzzy