this post was submitted on 05 May 2025
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The other day, my parents asked me (22M) if there were any women that I find attractive (I guess because they're paranoid about me being gay lol) and I told them yes, there's a fair number of women that I've seen in public that I've found attractive.

They asked me, "Do you talk to any of them?" and I said "No??? It's inappropriate to approach women in public unless you have business with them."

I told them that it is only appropriate for a man to talk to a woman he doesn't know when the social situation is explicitly designed for meeting strangers—dating apps, hobby groups, meeting friends of friends, etc. In my view, cold approaching women you don't know just because you're attracted to them is harassment.

My parents told me that I'm being ridiculous and making excuses because I'm nervous. They are adamant that I need to learn to approach women or else I will never find a partner. I told them that times have changed and this is disrespectful and potentially predatory behavior along the lines of unsolicited flirting and catcalling. Approaching women is a violation of their personal space and could make them feel very uncomfortable, especially if they feel like they don't have an easy way out.

My parents are almost 60 and they are very conservative, so they don't exactly follow progressive discourse, and I feel like they're super out of touch on this as a result. Particularly, my mom tends to strike up conversations with other women in public, and she's skeptical when I tell her that I can't do the same thing because I'm a man and would be viewed as a potential predator.

But I also don't get out much, which makes me second-guess how distorted my understanding of the social world is from reality. My parents are like a broken clock, and sometimes they DO have a point about something despite 90% of their opinions being insane. Maybe there is a more nuanced reality that I'm not picking up on.

So I wanted to ask here. Are my parents out of touch? Am I out of touch? Are we both wrong? I want to know your opinion.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Human existence is becoming more and more controlled as we lose our autonomy. And either waste our time broken alone or slaving away at a job that doesn't benefit us. Other countries have things like third spaces and culture unlike the United States which has no culture. We don't have the time or the money for culture. So what I'm trying to say is you have to make time to have genuine experiences doing things you like to do in order to stumble upon someone and have a casual conversation. Even these interactions are monetized via apps or whatever. Ad revenue. And these companies that get in between us and our natural experiences are also the same companies that blow up children in other countries. Other than that it is always running to or running from something. The Capitalist meddle too much in our lives. Everyone I know has had divorced parents. And now they want to replace us with artificial intelligence, which is really just our collective work and our human echo of recorded history and contribution. If they literally could just pick us up and bang our body parts together, they would. There is a reason why the birth rate is declining. Things are the way they are for good reasons. We are so separated from nature that we can't feel each other's vibes. I think the kids these days call it vibes. We are all just codependent and not self-actualized. We have lost our sovereignty, our autonomy, and now we just kind of are pushed and pulled in directions to the point where possibly we disassociate. You can go along with all this stuff for a while, but eventually it just snaps in your mind breaks. And they think they're going to draft us to go fight another World War. Just throw me in a box. It's just the same as the other box that I live in. I mean, what kind of future do our future children have? America is not a sexy place. Capitalism is not a sexy system. And now the whole world is capitalistic in nature. There are no alternatives anymore. and the Capitalist have gotten better and better at manipulating all of us. We don't have the time or the money to even plan and fight back. I'm old enough now to see the patterns between the two political parties in the United States. And I will tell you, unless you're kind of like a cult follower of your political party, they will just disappoint you and miss the mark by a mile. They don't work for us. They work for the shareholders. So all that kids have to deal with these days. All these elements, even though they might not acknowledge them, they play a role in mating rituals. You shouldn't have to run up to pretty women to get them to talk to you, or vice-inversal. Every good experience I have had has been through some form of leisure. The word I can think of that reminds me of the current state of things is cringe or icky. Picking up on people's body language. Things that are subtle that take time to grow like a garden. Building relationships, maintaining those relationships, having meaningful conversation. And when trust is built, maybe let loose. I don't know man, it just gets harder. And then you stop caring. Do you want hope? Or the truth?Your parents sold you out and their only concern is if you're gay.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I think you have a point, but also you've cranked that point to 11. Possibly 12.

Like yes, women can be really infuriated by how often they get hit on. I know the main reason my wife wanted a stereotypical wedding ring with a single diamond was that "it'll keep the flies away"

But also... people interact with you in public. It's like... a property of public spaces. Indeed talking to my wife in a public space is how we met.

The way you make it sound from your description would be that asking some woman directions would be a social fopah. Hell, where does just "having a conversation" land for you then? If you leave without asking for a number, is it different?

There's a difference between idle chit chat and approaching like Johnny Bravo.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Faux pas, hehe never seen it as fopah

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

?huh? there's no x in foh pa. "fox paws" pls be serious sir

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

Im sorry, im just a goose.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

I gave up because I was typing on my phone.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 2 weeks ago

You are right, your parents are out of touch. Stick to your guns on this.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

It depends on the context but generally no.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

First, they need to find better things to worry about. pressing this is exactly how you end up with regrettable relationships. Second, ignore the gender. Treat women like people. If a situation comes up, like someone makes a scene at the front of a line you are both in, strike up a conversation about that. See where it goes. Lasting things occur organically. That being said, "she's hot and I want to be inside her" is not a good enough reason to strike up a conversation with someone. Appreciate the sight but don't try to capitalize on it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Not putting some special stigma on it makes it less uncomfortable for both of you, and perhaps somewhat ironically, a little more likely that you do eventually get to be inside of her.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It is an important skill and confidence booster to approach people in general in public. If you are uncomfortable with women, then start with men.

If that is still uncomfortable, then that means you are uncomfortable to talking with strangers in general. Unfortunately, experience is the only way to combat this. Start small with chit chat in lines, compliment people on their shoes, etc.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago

Instructions unclear, now paying for a gay wedding.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Look at it this way, it's the same as approaching someone in public to make a friend. Obviously, that's not inappropriate. It's only inappropriate if you're treating it differently (which you shouldn't be).

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

How many friends have you made cold approaching people on the street or in shops like that?

Do people often react by treating you with intense suspicion? Ngl, overly chatty/friendly strangers freak me the fuck out.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

I think you should just make a habit of talking to people around you. You're kind of putting human interaction on a pedestal and that's just going to make you overthink things.

First of all, you need to understand it's not some pre-planned thing. You should be making a point to go out to do things you like doing - not going out with the explicit agenda of just talking to people. That's why I think the term "cold approach" is loaded, and full of shit--It inaccurately makes it sound like something negative and unnatural--In actuality you've done it many times before without thinking about it.

Seems you've gone deep into this analysis, of which none of it is actually relevant though, because you're not talking about the root cause of your feelings. Which is that you have social anxiety.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I dread encounters with folk like you when I leave the house.

I get that some humans are naturally more socially inclined, so you require constant affirmations and acknowledgment from everyone around you or you stop feeling good about yourselves and whatever, but this kind of self centred attention seeking that has you going out in public and deciding everyone should want to talk to you if you just go up to them and start talking- is incredibly fucking selfish.

Why do you think you're so special and important that you get to interrupt people going about their lives and make them listen to you talk? Nobody owes you this. If you want to talk at people start a fucking podcast and let me buy my apples in peace.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

That's a lot of assumptions about how other people are thinking mate.

rally more socially inclined, so you require constant affirmations and acknowledgment from everyone around you or you stop feeling good about yourselves and whatever, but this kind of self centred attention seeking that has you going out in public and deciding everyone should want to talk to you if you just go up to them and start talking- is incredibly fucking selfish.

Why do you think you’re so special and importan

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Is this something people actually do? I've only made friends through shared activities, mostly class, and by meeting friends of friends.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

would it be more liken to a place where its easier to talk to them, like a bar setting.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 2 weeks ago

Woman here: I'm not annoyed if a person I don't know talks to me, as long as a) they don't interrupt something I'm doing to have conversation and b) they read my body language and fuck off again the moment it's clear I'm not interested. But asking me questions when I have my headphones in to talk about inane shit while I roll my eyes? Nah.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

If they make eye contact and smile you can chat them up. That's the secret. They won't smile or look at you if they don't want you to talk to them.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Also, don't confuse friendliness with anything else. 😅

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