I’m over the Asshole. And who isn’t, really? Assholes just aren’t in right now. If you watch movies, you can see the trend. Gone are the days of the James Dean look-alikes, with their leather jackets, cigarette breath and emotional detachment. Gone are the days when it was cool to act like a jerk and play mind games. The Asshole had his day, and it was glorious. Now it’s time for the Nice Guy to take centre stage.

Some Assholes may be true misers of joy, but it’s likely that most are just playing a part. The acting metaphor is particularly apt because playing is what the Asshole does best: To him, it’s all just a game of tag. Catch me if you can, only you never can. Playing hard to get is the basic function of the unattainable man because he believes it ...