> It's a complex set of skills that has to be learned over years.

Yes, in my unscientific survey of reading about men posting about their experiences on various pickup forums - the fraction of those who really became good at "pick up" - basically became good not because of the technique but because they went out there with their icebreaker "I need a female opinion" and went from there and gained confidence and experience, to the point that eventually they were so desensitized of rejection (yet, aware) of interacting with women that really no women made them nervous (Bill Clinton was legendary for his ease around all women) - and this is what made them attractive. Snowball effect.