But that does not prevent me from realizing that a cashier isn't into me just because she smiles and wishes me a good day.
And I find it so painful when my buddies tries to hit on seemingly every woman under the sun while I, clear as day, see the girl's "please kill me now" look.
On the flip side, try a million times and you'll get lucky once in a while. They've certainly had a lot more hookups and relationships than I have. So I guess the shotgun approach does work, in a way.
Gamification is based on variable rewards (BF Skinner's variable ratio schedule).
It is common to see women on the receiving end of a relentless conveyor of men (often trying and trying again).
It "randomly" works for the guys so perhaps it's a learned behaviour?
Spear targeting would be a worse alternative to the spray attack.
I also know women that are honestly oblivious to the come-ons. Although they eventually learn they have to forcibly say no (feeling uncomfortably rude even though they were given no alternative).