Bill Ackman proposed a straightforward line for young men to meet women — and the memes erupted
In a recent viral moment on social media platform X, billionaire investor Bill Ackman shared a piece of advice for young men struggling to meet women in public settings. Reflecting on his own experiences, Ackman suggested the simple yet direct line, “May I meet you?” The post quickly garnered significant attention, attracting around 4,200 comments that ranged from humorous memes to genuine discussions about dating in the modern age. Many users found the advice refreshing, viewing it as a call to encourage real-life interactions rather than relying solely on dating apps. Some even praised Ackman for his authenticity, with one user claiming he had “taken dating off the apps with a single X post.”
However, the post was not without its critics. While some users embraced the advice, others mocked it, suggesting that Ackman’s approach felt outdated. Memes proliferated, with one user humorously referencing the line in a subway setting, while others pointed out the disparity in how such a line might be received based on different social contexts, such as wealth or appearance. Ackman himself engaged with commenters, advising one who faced rejection to “try again” and emphasizing that rejection is part of the dating process. He also clarified that the line could be used by women seeking men or in same-sex interactions, highlighting his belief in fostering genuine human connections.
This incident is not Ackman’s first foray into the viral world of social media, as he is known for his lengthy and sometimes provocative posts. His advice has sparked a broader conversation about dating norms in the digital age, with many users reflecting on the challenges of making connections in a society increasingly reliant on technology. Ackman’s assertion that “a world where human interaction is encouraged and rewarded is a better world” resonates with those yearning for more authentic relationships. As the dialogue continues, it remains to be seen whether his advice will inspire a new trend in how young people approach dating in public spaces.
Bill Ackman’s advice to young men now has roughly 4,200 comments on X.
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
Bill Ackman
wrote on X that his go-to line for talking to women used to be, “May I meet you?”
Memes and reactions to the advice soon followed.
Some social media users found the advice helpful or said that it helped encourage men to meet women offline.
Trying to strike up a conversation with a woman in the real world? Bill Ackman has some advice for you.
The billionaire CEO of Pershing Square Holdings wrote
on X
that many young men “find it difficult to meet young women in a public setting.” Reflecting on his youth, Ackman offered what he said was his old go-to line.
“May I meet you?”
The line seemed to take social media by storm over the weekend. Ackman’s post has racked up roughly 4,200 comments, ranging from meme-ified mockery to sincere conversations and endorsements of his advice.
“This ain’t 1850s UK,” one user
commented
. “This is ‘peak rizz,'”
wrote
another.
pic.twitter.com/d4SXTty2zo
— naiive (@naiivememe)
November 17, 2025
Ackman responded to some of the comments. When one commenter wrote that he tried the line on a girl at a coffee shop and “she said no,” Ackman
wrote
, “Try again.”
“You need not fear being rejected,” Ackman wrote. “Wrong girl for you. Her loss, your gain.”
When another user suggested that Ackman had found success with it because he was wealthy, he
responded
, “I didn’t have two nickels then.”
Some online praised the post. “You have taken dating off the apps with a single X post,” wrote
one
. “Corny? Maybe. But authentic,”
another
wrote.
“May I meet you” from a 6’3” hedge fund billionaire vs.“May I meet you” from a 5’8” junior banker clearing $160K total comp
pic.twitter.com/vcR87s5FpY
— litquidity (@litcapital)
November 16, 2025
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the post quickly turned into a big meme fest.
Nick O’Neill
, a crypto enthusiast known for his joke persona, tried it out on the
subway
and in the
park
. (Both attempts appeared unsuccessful.)
“Attention, ladies of New York City, may I meet you?” he asked a crowded subway car. “Should there be a line that forms, please line up single file,” he added.
I just tested
@BillAckman
’s “May I meet you” dating method on a moving subway
https://t.co/muelv2j3vB
pic.twitter.com/Gd4P9sJsMu
— Nick O’Neill (@chooserich)
November 17, 2025
Another tried it as an opening line with all of their
Hinge matches
.
May I meet you?
pic.twitter.com/Xapqu4Sqe2
— Murray Hill Guy (@MurrayHillGuy1)
November 16, 2025
There were
Selena Gomez memes
and
Shane Gillis memes
,
Joe Biden memes
and
JD Vance memes
.
Some X posters suggested Ackman was out of touch with the younger generation of daters.
“May i meet you fellow kids,” one X poster
wrote
with an image of actor Steve Buscemi dressed as a teenager, a reference to the popular “How do you do, fellow kids” meme that mocks attempts by older people to fit in with today’s youth.
may i meet you fellow kids
pic.twitter.com/Oto6xmE2nH
— paris hotel enjoyer (@iconridge)
November 15, 2025
“You Boomers have zero clue what you have created,” another commenter
wrote
.
“May I meet you?”
https://t.co/0oVlGuTKWC
pic.twitter.com/XJ1rBT8lYs
— Magills (@magills_)
November 16, 2025
This is far from the first brush with internet virality for Ackman, a prolific X user known for writing long posts sometimes reaching thousands of words (he
dressed up as one of his X posts
for Halloween).
While much of the meme-ing centered on “May I meet you?” as a pickup line for women, Ackman wrote that it “should also work for women seeking men as well as same sex interactions.”
After the post went viral, Ackman posted that the line works best
“when you are moving”
and that he’d heard a Stanford undergrad had
used it successfully
.
“A world where human interaction is encouraged and rewarded is a better world,” he wrote.
Read the original article on
Business Insider
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering Business news.
