Here are some incisive comments from Dr. Jeremy Nicholson at Psychology Today. It cuts to the heart of the prodigal son treatment that "nice guys" get i.e. "he's not a real nice guy if he complains that women prefer jerks":

Historically, I've argued your perspective myself. I thought that men who were socially and reproductively disenfranchised were "to blame" for their situation. Or, if not to blame, at least possessed a "deficit" that warranted their social exclusion. I still offer men who are in this situation self-help advice and social skills. I think that learning those skills can indeed help to alleviate the frustration, pressure, and disenfranchisement.

However, from a larger perspective, it is also blaming the victim. The truth of the matter is that female sexuality and mate choice is extremely influenced by social forces (see Roy Baumeister's Erotic Plasticity). Essentially, the masses of women are persuaded by whatever is socially deemed high status. If neuroscientists are famous...they get the girls. If rock stars and serial killers are famous, women go in that direction. Yes, yes...not ALL women. But, enough to make a difference in the social and reproductive rewards to men for a given type of behavior.

Now, we live in a society that devalues and marginalizes "good" male behavior. The average, nice, hard-working guy is the punchline of social jokes. In contrast, various forms of deviant behavior are seen as high status. So, that behavior is rewarded, while "good" guys are overlooked by large groups of women. If, as a society, we made a bigger deal of these "good" behaviors, the mating choices of women would follow suit.

...

If we want a society with more good men, we need to give them respect and status. That, in turn, will drive female mate choice. Anything else is a temporary fix at best. It is also asking individual men to simply cope with social punishment that is not their fault.

I will indeed continue to help men (and women) cope and find social success in this bad situation. However, I will not blame them for a situation that they have not made...

and later:

I live outside of Cambridge, MA. Arguably the "nerd" capital of the world. I don't see "groupies" screaming to have conjugal visits with the physics boys at MIT when they get out of class. In fact, I don't see those guys with many (or sometimes any) available partners. They are calling me (or other dating coaches and pick-up artists) just to find out how to get a girl to like them. Holmes (and other death row inmates) sure doesn't need that advice.

Response by TRPers and anti-TRPers?