Just in case you were serious I think they meant clubs like a sewing circle, crown green bowling, tennis, the local brass band, civic action groups, etc. In other words associations of one kind or another, in tech. terms special interest groups.
(I'm gay, but I listen to and observe a lot of straight people in their natural habitats).
The advice for some time was almost universally that one should "volunteer", join "hobby clubs", or even go do "women-centric activities" or even "women-centric events" and "feminist groups" to meet people. Often women would recommend that.
Well, naturally the people doing those activities wouldn't enjoy being approached, and you'd have this parallel online universe where women complain about people approaching them in hobby groups.
> Well, naturally the people doing those activities wouldn't enjoy being approached, and you'd have this parallel online universe where women complain about people approaching them in hobby groups.
In here, you are avoiding the whole "observing a big group of people over long periods of time when they don't pretend to charm you" thing. Which is the core thing that started the whole thread.
Heard that one too, and the corresponding "eww he only pretended to be my friend because he wanted to make a pass at me".
That girl is looking for genuine authentic connection, you are looking for sexual access. And in that case, part of your evaluation should involve searching for women who want those physical only relationships.
But again, the thread was about forming long term relationships, this is different matter.
I blame Youtube and coaching culture. Everyone thinks they're an expert now and must spread their genius.
Very dumb boys then go to the club meeting, immediately try to pick up women, and it doesn't work because that was not the recommendation.
You are supposed to get engaged with a club you care about, participate genuinely, meet new people and make new friendships, and like all of human history, that is very likely to randomly result in you finding someone you hit it off with.
Boys still tend to think they are trying to shotgun pickup lines as a good method.
Basically, the underlying problem is roughly the same in all those situations: You have to understand, respect, and treat the women in those groups the same way you treat anyone else. How often do you join a new tech related club and start hitting on the same sex members of that club for example?
Volunteering as way to eventually meet woman? It was a stupid idea 5 years ago, still is now.
Also I wouldn't recommend joining clubs _just_ to try and meet potential partners. You should join a club that's for something you're actually interested in, if you would leave the club just because you failed to meet someone then it was a bad fit from the start.