I will preface this by saying being friend-zoned is, and has, always been your fault as a man. It's your fault for not going for it early and clearly enough, it is your fault by allowing someone else to define a relationship you are not happy with and staying with it, it is your fault for trying manipulate someone into loving you by pretending you are not interested, it is your fault for being a coward.

Now that we have that out of the way...

I know we don't really discuss it here that much, and that anyone who's been here for a bit never complains about the friend-zone, but I see all of our detractors building their straw men out of this one small, rarely mentioned facet of seduction. It is used as the main definers of anyone involved in seduction (along with the archaic "negging", but that's for another day). Between the comics, the articles, and the women speaking out, the message clear:

"Oh wow, I'm sorry my friendship is not good enough for you, asshole."

"Right, I'm a horrible person for only wanting to be your friend and not wanting to suck your cock."

"You just want me for my vagina and don't care about me as a person."

So, if you will, let me clear the air on this matter.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING FRIEND-ZONED AND BEING ACTUAL FRIENDS.

A friend is someone who cares about you as mutually as you care about them. They want to know what you're up to. They want to know how you're feeling. They are interested in catching up on your life. If you are down in the dumps or in a rutt, they'll be there to cheer you up. They enrich your life as you enrich their own. Man or woman, a real friendship is one where you both share a mutual interest in each other. This is what most detractors think of whenever the "Friend Zone" is brought up. I would never suggest a man to cut contact from a woman who is truly interested in being his friend (unless he was so deeply obsessed with her that it would be unhealthy for him to remain friends).

In the actual "Friend-Zone", the friends, are at best, fair weather friends. At worst, they are opportunists using their target to get favors. They only see value in you as it benefits them, not as a human being with their own wants, fears, and life. They are the type of friend who will gush on and on about their lives, but immediately get bored or change the topic if you talk about your own. They are the type who constantly need favors, yet never have the time to help you out when you are truly in need. They won't remember your birthday, your favorite anythings, or your hobbies, but they have you on speed dial for whenever they need a hand. If anyone, man or woman, does this to you, dump their ass from your life for good.

So when we discuss it, we aren't talking about ignoring legitimate friends who actually care about the man in question, but avoiding ones who see the friendship as a purely self-beneficial one with no sort of reciprocation. And to everyone reading this, really evaluate your friends, man or woman. Pursue the ones who have no ulterior motives other than enjoying your company, dump the others. If you never cut the bad fruit out of the tree, you will never see what you can truly grow.