What exactly is flirting? I've googled it and found nothing convincing. I haven't read through this thread, but eventually will find the time. I don't know exactly what flirting is, but I think I may do it by default with every women and lots of men I speak with, without knowing its flirting.
Most people I talk too I immediately judge them and determine if they are worth my time or have any admirable characteristics. Usually they don't. Women especially get written off because they probably can't hold an interesting conversation like most in high school, but they could also rarely discuss music or video games.
So with that elitist attitude in mind, I feel strongly compelled to criticize them. Often jokingly and sarcastically because I don't want to sour a conversation or actually be mean. Except I couldn't care less about befriending them. I've even found with women who I do admire I naturally want to criticize into dust. Looking back, I think almost every women I've talked to in high school thought I was flirting with them. Except an odd flirt, because instead of the PUA push and pull, I just keep pushing.
With women I've tried to start a relationship with (back when I was trying to understand relationships by trying), conversations tended to be one of two kinds. My sarcastic joke dominated criticisms, or me trying to discuss something interesting or spill my ideas. Ideas never got far or intelligible responses. Then after a while the girls got tired of my sarcastic criticisms. Since I never really pulled back with these they probably never felt fully comfortable spilling their hearts and minds out to me.