I remember going to parties in high school and really only caring that the girl I had a crush on was there. I would talk to people that were near her in proximity, and I’d try to project what a great guy I was in the conversation with whatever pawn I was engaging. If the girl would leave that area of the party, so would I–sometimes mid-sentence.

I didn’t care about who I was talking to, they were leverage, nothing more, nothing less. I would use them as long as they benefited my chances of bei...