Bill Ackman believes four words can change someone’s dating life. The internet strongly disagrees.
The billionaire hedge fund manager sparked a wave of memes after sharing his go-to line for approaching women in his younger days. Ackman said he used the phrase “May I meet you?” and claimed he rarely faced rejection. Users on X quickly challenged the idea and filled his replies with jokes.
Ackman says politeness and confidence still work
Ackman posted the advice after claiming he’s heard from young men who said it’s harder than ever to meet women in public settings. He partly blamed dating apps and online habits, which he said have weakened spontaneous interactions.
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Ackman explained that his approach was simple. He would ask, “May I meet you?” before starting any deeper conversation. He argued the line works because it relies on proper grammar and politeness.
While online dating has been more popular than ever in the last few years, a 2025 study by the online telehealth platform Hims suggests that in-person interaction still plays a major role in modern dating. The survey found that 82% of Americans met their significant other face-to-face, not online. Gen Z reported similar results, with 77% meeting partners in person.
Users online respond with memes and blunt honesty
Despite Ackman’s confidence, many commenters on X rejected his suggestion. One user wrote that he tried the line at a coffee shop and was immediately turned down. Ackman responded by urging him to try again and insisted, “Her loss, your gain.”
Another user posted a split-panel meme that quickly went viral. The top panel showed a chiseled cartoon man labeled “Bill Ackman 10 billion dollar net worth” saying, “Just go to her and ask her out, you only need confidence.” The bottom panel featured a scruffy, exhausted character labeled “X users” asking, “Are you sure?”
Others joked that the strategy only works for men who are fit or conventionally attractive. Some users simply found the entire debate hilarious, posting reaction GIFs and comments under Ackman’s original thread.
One person flipped the dynamic and asked Ackman, “May I meet you?” Ackman replied quickly, saying, “I am taken.”
Ackman insisted the line worked long before he had wealth. According to Forbes, his net worth sits just under $10 billion, but he said he “didn’t have two nickels” when he first tried the phrase as a young man. He also said the technique can work for women approaching men and for forming same-sex friendships.
The internet turns the moment into entertainment
The post revived discussions about how people meet today. A 2020 Pew Research poll found nearly half of U.S. adults say dating has gotten harder during the last 10 years.
But while Ackman’s advice mainly sparked jokes, some shifted the conversation into more personal questions. One user thanked him for sharing his perspective and said the challenge for young adults is not knowing whether they want a relationship at all. He then asked how Ackman balanced building an ambitious company with the decision to get married.
“You don’t need to balance life,” Ackman wrote. “Just give each the time they deserve.”
