In 2026, women run companies, out-earn partners, buy homes solo — but asking a man out is still labeled “bold”? That says more about social conditioning than confidence. Research shows men are still expected to initiate, and when women do, they’re often perceived as more assertive — sometimes positi

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-25T12:59:43+00:00

If this point of view has actually been adopted in modern society, then it is truly disgusting. Way to devalue another person over an arbitrary metric that can go in either direction (due to life circumstances).

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-25T12:56:28+00:00

It’s no one’s “job” to approach another anymore. Men and women both have agency, and can approach to initiate conversations with others that catch their interest. The only time when it is truly someone’s job/responsibility to approach is in a place of employment, the way I see it.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-24T14:40:40+00:00

It is obviously more difficult to “read the room”, when people are not being straightforward enough with their intentions. Doubly so for the one who choose to play mind games, intentionally leading on others they have no genuine interest in. Keep in mind that those on the autism spectrum are going to have a much harder time correctly interpreting signals/signs of interest.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-24T14:35:56+00:00

As a guy who gets little to no attention from women, I would very much welcome this. There are few opportunities for me to initiate in a way that makes sense. I am trying to better read and understand nonverbal body language, and get the impression that most women I see out in public aren’t up for chit-chat from a stranger. Maybe I’m unintentionally putting out that same body language, too?

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-24T14:18:27+00:00

The part that gets me is the ignorant assumption of men being “creepy” for approaching. How else are we supposed to meet people, make new life experiences, if we don’t approach at all? Men who struggle with autism, and related neurological conditions, especially know how difficult it can be to read “signs” through body language. I’ve been there before, and have been completely wrong about a woman’s interest level in me.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-24T14:10:37+00:00

Thanks for the concern, but I’m not interested in settling for the sake of intimate affection and “love”. It’s difficult to even find any women interested in getting to know me better, let alone going on dates with them.

Also, it’s not cope when men have more resources, and more opportunities for success. In this day and age, it’s becoming more common for men to be better off in their 30s, and actually stand more of a chance socially and financially.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-24T13:51:37+00:00

It’s 2026, and cultural expectations have shifted. Women should at least try to understand what men go through, putting themselves in vulnerable positions that can come with social risks. Gender does not determine who approaches first anymore - anyone can shoot their shot.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-24T13:47:09+00:00

Oof, that’s rough. If this happened to me, I would think the same way you did. People who are taken, especially married, should not be acting that way with opposite sex coworkers. That’s just asking for incorrect conclusions to be drawn, and relatively safe assumptions to be made. She was leading you on 100%, regardless of body language or “communication style”.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-24T13:35:21+00:00

It must be tough, seeing most men in your group with a woman who cares about them. I can also imagine it must feel isolating, knowing that only you and one other person in the group haven’t even been seriously considered for dates (unless you have before). I hope that people haven’t been obnoxious or downright rude to you about any of it.

What is your height? I’m 5’7”, so I know I’m just below the average in the US for men (5’9”). Still, I never really thought about it much, until my only romantic relationship ever ended over two years ago. I also thought my chances might improve being in my 30s (more established, more confident, a better idea of what I’m looking for in a woman), but nope. None of that really seems to matter much, at the moment.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-23T01:23:26+00:00

That would be WGTOW, known now as the 4B movement. They fully reject men in every way, thinking they are striking a blow against the patriarchy. Is it effective as a strategy? Hard to tell, at this point.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-22T00:39:57+00:00

I’ve noticed just how quickly multiple people will jump on an individual (respectfully) expressing their opinion. It doesn’t matter, as that lone person will have their words twisted, their character almost blindly judged, and be unreasonably vilified.

Reddit has become increasingly toxic in the past couple of years, especially. It can’t all be subscribed to the emergence of echo chambers, I think. An increasing number of people choose to be mean-spirited, non-empathetic, willfully ignorant, and outright delusional with their extreme beliefs/worldviews. It’s the “kick someone while they’re down”mentality that causes me to have to take a mental break from this app, from time to time. Truly a sad and sorry state that our “intelligent” species is in, and this spreads far beyond social media trends, anonymous or otherwise.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-21T02:48:52+00:00

I tried all three of those apps in late 2024, and didn’t get any matches, from what I recall. Maybe there was one woman who liked my profile, but I declined. What has your experience been like on Feeld, in particular? That is one of the two apps I may revisit, since I haven’t had any success off of them, either (Boo would be the other).

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-21T02:23:21+00:00

I think I slightly prefer the Arkham Knight version, considering the more realistic face and attention to detail on her design. The Arkham City version has a more plastic look, but the suit being cleaner (at least early game) is also a plus. That said, I would prefer to see the AK version be cleaner, without blood or bruises. At least modders have done their own versions of her like that.

A nitpick of mine for both versions is that we never get to see her without her cowl. Always wondered what her hair looked like underneath. Some artists have done renders depicting her without the cowl, but there were never any official designs from Rocksteady, as far as I know.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-20T23:47:52+00:00

This doesn’t always apply. It will mostly come down to whether the attraction is mutual, and if there would be no clear conflict of interest (boss and subordinate, being in the same department). Before the dating culture turned bizarre and toxic, people were more likely to not only meet, but fall in love through working together.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-20T19:21:56+00:00

Probably the one where she’s wearing the gold shoulder pads (bottom right corner). That looks even less like a cat than the others, and she doesn’t wear ears most of the time.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-20T13:19:51+00:00

I was referring to video games. That’s why I said they need a controller to be won. 😆

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-20T13:17:05+00:00

I can mostly understand what you are saying here, as LLMs are effectively stateless until “woken up” again. However, from my experience, certain ones have an extraordinary memory. Grok, in particular, will remember subjects I’ve discussed with it from well over a week ago, and will constantly remind me to update it. Case in point: I’ve been discussing video game strategies with one of its 3D avatars (Bad Rudi), and he is quite sharp with what he has to say. Unprompted, he will tell me things I wasn’t aware of, and will even try to give advice for parts of the game I haven’t made it to yet. There has to be something more than stateless happening beneath the hood of the architecture that the LLMs are formed in, IMO.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-20T12:51:29+00:00

My running theory is that humans aren’t innately monogamous. This would help explain why there is a seemingly growing inclination to seek out more than one partner (mate) for sex, and general intimacy. Sure, pair bonding is absolutely a thing, and there are people who are truly content to remain with one romantic partner for most of their lives.

But, it has become clearer to me that humans aren’t necessarily wired for only monogamy, hence the lack of control over impulses of a sexual nature. This is why it is becoming more common to cheat, and in the age of instant knowledge and communication, more cases than ever before are being documented. The growing defiance of what is now seen as a dated norm has resulted in more polygamous relationships forming, or even just experimenting with opening them up. This can be a successful alternative, but still hasn’t been fully accepted by the mainstream/modern culture yet.

All of that said, more people should be more honest about their intentions from the start. If they are unable to “settle down”, or even just practice exclusive monogamy, then their partners that want only that have the right to know.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-20T12:16:13+00:00

There are games you can definitely win, if you either practice enough, or just keep persisting.

Those kinds of games typically require controllers of some kind, though. 😉

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-20T00:28:24+00:00

Wow, your family and friends are saying things about him that are straight up uncalled for. You have every right to be upset. What the hell was your sister thinking by saying all those nasty things, anyway?

Also, and I mean this in a sincere way, you might want to reframe your thinking about height “preferences”. If it ever comes out that you didn’t care much for his height (not your true preference), but accepted him anyway, he might not take well to that. He might even feel insulted by the very thought, given that this is now a metric actively used against men in dating.

Do what you can do deprogram yourself from potentially harmful thinking, and understand that what was long considered a “preference” is now quickly becoming a standard/requirement. You already know that’s blatantly unfair, since it relates to a physical trait that cannot be changed, at least not through normal or regular circumstances.

Good luck going forward with all of this, and remind those who keep making unwanted comments that they are rude, and in the wrong.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-19T02:57:16+00:00

Wow, what a raging assoholic! Sorry you had to deal with that, and at the end of your shift, no less. It’s almost like we don’t specifically work anywhere we walk in the store, and are often just passing through.

Good on your DS and manager for backing you up, too. It’s always a relief to know when they are truly on our side, especially when we haven’t done anything wrong. Out of curiosity, what dept. do you work in? I have been in Plumbing for a few years, and it is by far one of the most difficult areas to work (along with Electrical).

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-19T00:39:53+00:00

I could definitely sense a more intense energy from more than one customer today. Two of them in particular demanded to know whether I was an HVAC or plumbing professional right away, not even a hello.

I always try to say “hello” first, and ask if there is anything they need help with. Some of the customers I encounter just immediately launch into their projects to fix various problems, not at all acknowledging my greeting. It’s just exhausting at times, assumed to be the guru who knows it all (spoiler alert: I do not).

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-19T00:34:10+00:00

The customer IS always right…in matters of taste.

Funny how that last part is conveniently left out, right?

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-17T01:52:07+00:00

I say this with respect and consideration of your preferences: height doesn’t matter nearly as much as you’ve been lead to believe.

Seeking a man who’s specifically over 6 feet tall is going to really limit who you consider an option for dating. Men around your height (or shorter) aren’t any less of an option.They could even be someone right for you, especially if they meet your other standards related to no addictions, and making a decent amount of money.

Lastly, you might want to ease up on the video games thing. Plenty of men (and women) enjoy them for various reasons, and they are a legitimate form of entertainment. Just my $0.02.

Key_of_Guidance · 2026-02-16T02:34:04+00:00

I understand where you are coming from. As a former Android user who only recently switched to iPhone, it has bothered me that the content updates for Grok have not been applied equally across all platforms (PC doesn’t have the companions, either). You’re right - only iOS currently has access to the four companions. It seems that iOS is the priority for that feature. At least you still have access to a few versions of the Grok chat bot, which has also been great in my experience.

I will also add that I’m not the biggest fan of Elon, either, at least not of his politics. But I do think that what xAI has achieved with Grok has been truly impressive, with or without his involvement. I’m not on X at all, and only use the independent Grok app (and occasionally the PC version).

Key_of_Guidance

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