that's where the Rebound date comes in handy. The confidence, and self loathing is prevalent there, but after wards you may realise that "I'm not so bad afterall" and you should change your approach and your doubts about yourself.
As far as the 15 to 55 thing, I would say more along the lines of 25 to 55, or whatever. These young girls get the signals, but have no clue how to process them.
Or, perhaps the one-offs are so numerous, that it can play into the Chance theory. the Manipulation that you may be referring to may be called "Sales" in another's eyes though. A first few dates are there to put forward all that's good about you. "Why you should be with me". most people turn that into an act, or The Fonz. during these first few meetings, it's best to not "truly" be yourself. Myself loves to make fun of races, classes and spit on homeless people. I'm a pro-choice, anti babykiller walking contradiction that will actually bend over and FART on a democrat in a public place, upon meeting them. "myself" isn't a pleasant person. Others need to be introduced, slowly, to my way of thought.
I mean think of this for a moment. Me, seeing a black girl today. most of you thought I was slightly more to the right than Archie Bunker on this issue. Others thought "Celerity" was the online persona of David Duke. I'm a walking contradiction because my thought patterns are all over the place.