That's why you figure the other person out before you get into the real "relationship", at which point you should know enough to be able to tell them what they're thinking, whether it's in bed or at the grocery store. I have never met a woman too complicated to figure out, given enough time and effort.
It's like a puzzle. A puzzle with contradictory pieces at times, sure. That just makes it more entertaining. This is precisely why I love women, though; the more difficult the puzzle the more fun it is. I'm still searching for the one who can routinely surprise me, preferably in a good way.
Problems with that: people are even more interested in signaling when they're trying to get into a relationship. Once you have a large sunk cost (e.g. announcing that you're together, moving in with each other) it's possible for each side to get away with a little more honesty.
People are very hard to model thoroughly. I hope you're exaggerating in the last sentence of your first paragraph.
I don't think I'm exaggerating, although since I'm just basing it off of what I've been told by previous partners I suppose it's possible they've all been compulsive liars even when I don't ask a question, but this seems to contradict Occam's Razor.
There's never 100% coverage. There are times when women act a certain way and I'll have no clue why or will do something I see as so illogical and completely contradictory to every form of reason that I just flat never see it coming.
As for signaling, my solution has been to just refuse to play the game. I'll flirt because it's fun, but I make no attempts to actually figure out if they're interested. This is probably why I am abysmal at actually picking up women in the first place and why I never seem to notice they're interested until they're suddenly making out with me.
Once that hurdle has been overcome, it's pretty easy though. Just because they're more interested in bullshit signaling doesn't mean they're going to refuse to answer questions or lie. Particularly, I've never met a women who wouldn't honestly answer questions regarding optimization of their pleasure. To do otherwise would be kinda silly.
Also, I think this awesome quote is worthy of this thread:
Receptionist: How do you write women so well?
Melvin Udall: I think of a man, and I take away
reason and accountability.
It's like a puzzle. A puzzle with contradictory pieces at times, sure. That just makes it more entertaining. This is precisely why I love women, though; the more difficult the puzzle the more fun it is. I'm still searching for the one who can routinely surprise me, preferably in a good way.