Dating Online? Try These Spambot-approved Conversation Starters

Feb. 7, 2013— -- If you've ever ventured into the world of online dating, then you're well aware of dating site "creepers" who seemingly refuse to take a hint and, instead, feel entitled to your attention and praise for their advances. Enter Horse_ebooks.

For those not familiar with the cultural phenomenon that is Horse_ebooks, you're in for a treat. The Twitter account is, essentially, a spambot originally designed by a Russian web developer to promote online books. It will often post snippets of text, always out of context and nonsensical, often unintentionally poignant.

Horse_ebooks can and does, for example, advocate for carping that diem ("LET S ALL") and placing your trust in the right people ("gurus are telling you the opposite lately is quite simply because it is a way"). He is also inclined to dispense advice of a more romantic nature ("A tiny little trick for preparing your lips for a kiss that will make for a MUCH"), and is also interested in ostriches ("Diagram of the Correct Shape of an Ostrich").

And, now, the account's funny tweets are being used to counteract unsolicited advances by some men on popular online dating site OK Cupid.

"Okc_ebooks" is a Tumblr that features online conversations between a good-looking "young lady" who is really just quoting from Horse_ebooks, and a series of allegedly real men from OK Cupid, who don't seem to get that they are talking to a spambot. And we have a lot to learn from it.

If you should, for example, ever find yourself the recipient of unwanted advances from cyber Casanovas, Okc_ebooks provides some appropriate responses that you might want to try for yourself. Let's say a stranger feels the need to let you know you are "sexy" without so much as saying hello or introducing himself (or herself). You can tell them to "keep in mind that sex is sex and love is love and what we re talking about here." . (Language in link NSFW.)

Of course, if your aim is to seduce fellow daters with your enigmatic ways, you could always dazzle them with your wit and clever wordplay.

Hey, sometimes, nonsensical word dribble is just a great way to start a conservation. And, sometimes, it just helps make it even more obvious that some people aren't really paying attention to what you say as long as you look cute.

Our advice, of course, is to avoid conversation with people you don't want to talk to. Then again, sometimes a well-placed "Sourdough Starter" speaks volumes.