You misunderstand. That was when the Internet was good. No amount of scat or gore or violent cartoons will ever hold a candle to the crushing algorithmic power of modern, corporate social media.
Millennials like us didn't just grow up with the Internet, the Internet grew up with us too. We got to exploit bleeding edge technology to build the Internet we were using. Gen-Z and Gen Alpha are growing up on a mature but enshittified corporate social media landscape designed to exploit them for profit.
Aside from no friends, the rest of those things apply to a ton of 19 year olds. I don't think it's entirely Social Medias fault they have a weird expectation; even I had that as a teen and I heard my dad's generation did too.
I think it's mostly because people see movies where sex is commonplace in high school and losing your "V card" is a thing. The expectation to drive and work has also just been there since forever ago, but this current generation is even less likely to need to either. At least I know there are some non-chan places also pushing to get teens to understand those expectations aren't normal...
I pretty much re-invented myself around 20 and became a much better person for it and have had a pretty great life for the past fifteen years or so.
Ironically I had a lot of friends growing up but almost all of them turned into garbage monsters and I actually chose to be friend-free outside of my significant other not long after 20 and I really don't miss the friend experience. I do have a lot of casual acquaintances and my wife tells me I'm great in social situations but I just don't feel the need any more to expend energy on friends when I have my family and hobbies.
Same. I was an absolutely horrible person. Was a total failure headed for jail. Finally realized it one day when my ex girlfriend sprayed me with mace. Was that day, face puffy and swollen, that I realized I had become bad guy that people live in fear of. I completely reinvented myself. Lost all of my friends, girlfriend, apartment, basically everything. Joined the military with $200 in my bank account and no debts unpaid. 10 years later and I have a successful career, good friends, wife, and expecting my first child in two months from now.
Yeah I started dating at 20. I’d always had friends but it for so much easier in my 20s to befriend people who treated me right.
Yeah it sucks. But also, anon’s advice is true. A huge step for me was getting the fuck over myself. Anon isn’t doomed but he has his work cut out for him
I don't know, I feel like anon's advice is misguided at the very least.
It assumes that OOP is more or less choosing to be this way, instead of struggling with issues outside their control, be it self-image issues, anxiety, depression, money or a myriad of other things. Depending on the particukar combination and severity, anon's situation may not change for a very long time, including forever.
I believe proper advice would focus on making them accept their situation. It's OK to have no friends or partner(s). They are not a necessity in order to live a meaningful life. Perhaps it won't be the most meaningful life possible but it is certainly possible to find meaning while feeling lonely. Though finding a job is somewhat important, especially if they live in countries without social welfare, they should focus on that for a bit.
I don't have any positive stories to share on how I overcame the issues anon is facing - considering I'm in my early 20s and have nearly all the same one's. But acceptance has helped me cope with my situation in a not unhealthy way and reduced some of the pain of loneliness and self-doubt.
I didn't have mine until I was 23. That's when I had my first kiss too. I'm also a huge lesbian. It's a bummer for sure, but definitely was NOT the end of my life.
For “it’s too late for me” thinking, imagine what you’d think at {your_current_age}+10. For a teenager, work on developing a skill or talent, nothing else matters. Become independent and self reliant, and don’t be a jerk to others.
If you're a teenager, just know that your stupidass brain won't be fully developed until your early/mid 20s. So just roll with it and stop imposing arbitrary deadlines on anything.
Legit though, a REAL bro would offer to let them give a blowjob. To the bro. Counts as sex! You suck my dick, you are officially not a virgin! Now, go out there and kiss someone with the jizz still lingering on your lips, you horny motherfucker :)
Not to an incel, they base their entire life around it. Everyone else just gets on with their life until they randomly meet someone.
Trying to force a relationship out of thin air never works, which is part of the reason why dating apps would never work even if they weren't paid to win.
I was still a virgin who never kissed a girl when I was 19, not for lack of trying (being an arrogant, shortsighted asshole certainly didn't help me score). Took me another year before I had sex for the first time.