Billionaire investor Bill Ackman set off one of those small-but-telling culture wars moments this week when he offered a short, old-fashioned icebreaker — “May I meet you?” — as advice for young men who struggle to start real conversations in public. The straightforward suggestion exploded across social media, prompting equal parts ridicule and genuine discussion about how our civic life has hollowed out into screens and swipe culture.
The post racked up millions of views and thousands of comments in a matter of days, and of course the predictable meme machine went to work making fun of Ackman’s phrasing instead of examining the underlying problem he raised. Americans who still value face-to-face courtship watched as a polite, plainly worded tactic was lampooned by people who think irony and performative outrage are a substitute for real relationships.
Ackman defended his advice in follow-ups, explaining that the combination of proper grammar and politeness helped him meet people in his youth and that rejection is simply redirection — advice any grown-up should be able to give without being derided. He even responded to critics who said his success was because of wealth or status by pointing out that he wasn’t rich when the line worked for him and urging men to try again after a “No.” That kind of no-nonsense resilience is refreshing in an age that treats every setback as a wound rather than a lesson.
Instead of reflexive mockery, conservatives ought to celebrate the return of civility and directness in human interaction. The left’s cultural project has been to normalize isolation, online performativity, and suspicion of strangers, while pretending that irony and rage are admirable substitutes for manners and genuine courage to approach another person. If a four-word phrase can nudge a generation back toward saying hello in person, that’s a small victory for community and sanity.
Predictably, some critics argued the line only worked because Ackman is tall and wealthy — a familiar attempt to reduce every bit of traditional advice to a caricature about privilege. That argument is lazy and self-defeating; it absolves young men of responsibility to practice basic social skills and replaces personal effort with a grievance narrative that leads nowhere. The conservative remedy is simple: insist on accountability, manners, and the ordinary bravery of striking up a conversation.
This kerfuffle is about more than a quaint pick-up line; it’s about whether we allow a hyper-online, performatively outraged culture to dictate acceptable human behavior. Hardworking Americans know the value of directness, boldness, and decency — traits that built families, communities, and the country — and we should push back when those traits are mocked by the same people who celebrate anonymity and digital cowardice.
If anything, Ackman’s viral moment is a reminder that ordinary, polite behavior can be revolutionary in a decadently performative era. Young men and women deserve encouragement to meet each other honestly and in person, not to be shamed into hiding behind apps and performative skepticism. Real communities, real families, and real patriotism grow from real conversations, and if “May I meet you?” helps make that happen even once, it’s worth the laughs.
