Low status men=/= men with poor social skills, even though there is a lot of overlap. Social skills are not binary, and neither is status. As someone else in the comments mentioned, there's a continuum. Most men are teal, rather than GREEN or BLUE. Similarly, "tickling" is not a category on its own (I assume by tickling you mean flirting). Social interactions (even if you view them as entirely about seduction) are on a continuum. Talking to someone pleasantly is a skill you can develop without ever flirting/tickling anyone. Or to bring it back to your allegory: the way to "practice" tickling is to start with waving your tentacles at someone without touching or hurting them, and with no intention of stinging them if they let their guard down.