this post was submitted on 13 Jul 2026
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No Stupid Questions

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Feelings I had for my classmate were obviously one-sided (pretty sure of it), so I made a reasonable decision to never confess to not make things awkward. In a few years since we graduated I finally moved on, although I never loved anyone this much since.

Yet all this time I had a desire to tell her about them. I would definitely want to know if someone loved me this much ever. Would she? I don't know. I don't even know if she is in a relationship right now or not.

I would really want to cite some scientific study that "Over 80% of girls have their self-confidence lifted after being told they were secretly admired (p<0.05)", but can't find one.

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[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca 1 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (3 children)

K but I don't need to telepathically know how they feel when by their own words I can see that they're conflating attraction with love.

You seem to want to help OP. But you're actually reenforcing a very unhealthy mindset. Given your admission that you don't know what's best here it is rather irresponsible of you to baselessly undermine the consensus.

Some of the people here are family men who actually do know what we're talking about. To falsely equate your "I don't know" with experience driven advice, is a disservice to OP.

Men need to be more honestly with themselves about when they're just being horny.

[–] PapaSkwat@lemmy.today 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

Some of the people here are family men who actually do know what we’re talking about.

Some of the shit I read on Lemmy always suprises me, until I remember that. lol

I think those of us who actually have been married, have families, and have been in working society for a while are pretty rare here on Lemmy.

The way a lot of posters on here talk, makes me wonder if they have even been in relationships before.

Once ya have kids to provide for, and learn how shit works, perceptions about the world become a lot more realistic and focused.

[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

IMO a big, post-internet, problem is that people aren't experiencing foundational relationships as children/teens that were the learning experiences to prepare people deeper connections like marriage. People are growing up without learning the ability to trust or discern trustworthiness; and many other things that we can only learn through experience.

As per Maslow's Pyramid, everyone is overworked and suck in bottom tier survival mode rendering them psychologically incapable of prioritizing emotional and relationship needs. So we get people who see interpersonal situations in black and white with villains and hero's instead of people.

[–] PapaSkwat@lemmy.today 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 25 minutes ago) (1 children)

IMO a big, post-internet, problem is that people aren’t experiencing foundational relationships as children/teens that were the learning experiences to prepare people deeper connections like marriage.

Agreed. I started noticing it on Reddit a few years ago, and now that a new generation is reaching adulthood on both Reddit and Lemmy, it's even more obvious. More people are reaching their 20s without having developed the social skills and real-world experiences that previous generations picked up naturally.

Society has always had socially awkward or isolated people, but technology has def amplified the problem. When I was younger, I spent most of my time around other people because there wasn't an easy way to retreat into a digital world.

That constant face-to-face interaction forced people to learn how to socialize, resolve conflicts, and build relationships. Now too many people are missing out on that.

The number of socially maladjusted people online today is crazy now. I also think that besides just more social awkwardness and lack of marriages, it's leading to more stalking and fixation issues for those same people.

I've had people obsessively follow and harass me on Lemmy just because I post news articles they don't like. Not new behavior, but the scale of it seems greater than ever.

When people struggle to form meaningful connections and feel little control over their lives, online conflicts can become an unhealthy substitute for real accomplishment or social belonging. Which leads to less relationships, and more stalking and unhealthy obsessions.

And a special shoutout to my personal Lemmy stalker, who will want to downvote this comment. A perfect example of my point. Hopefully this discussion causes him to self-reflect and refrain from doing that so he can move on. EDIT: He didn't refrain. Hi, NewPerspective. lol

[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

lol I had a guy make 4 alternates of my account on other instances to downvote me because he didn't like what I said to "another user" (his alt).

On reddit I used to frequent a lot of IRL fight footage type subreddits and used to foolishly engage the comments and get dogpiled until I realized I was talking to people who'd never even gone to a bar much less seen a bar fight.

[–] PapaSkwat@lemmy.today 1 points 32 minutes ago* (last edited 3 minutes ago) (1 children)

Yep, my stalker has his main account that he follows me with, but he starts new accounts to pile up the downvotes on my comments for a view days, then he either gets banned or he just deletes them. But he always calls me the same weird nickname in them to make sure I know it's him, so he's not even trying to disguise himself. It's weird! LMAO

Oh, and my stalker is downvoting my comments in this very thread. LMAO Right on schedule! (Hi NewPerspective! Your lemvote. org stats - Total post upvotes: 1. Total post downvotes: 1644. lolololol)

Like who the fuck has such a sad life that they obsess about someone on Lemmy of all places? Oh, the exact same kind of people we're discussing! The lack of social interaction just messes with their brain.

On another note tho, I wonder if they can be taught to change that. I know brain elasticity is a thing, and people can learn new habits, but i wonder of stalkers like that can rewire themselves. Are there any former stalkers who talk about that transition?

I know that some socially awkward people can focus on themselves and sorta get over it, end up dating, marrying, getting along with others in the workplace, etc. But I wonder if the extreme ones like stalkers can. I gotta look that up!

[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca 1 points 15 minutes ago (1 children)

I'm talking to a guy at the bottom of a dogpile right now and there's this weird other account that I apparently blocked in the past commenting and downvoting lol.

, I wonder if they can be taught to change that. I know brain elasticity is a thing, and people can learn new habits

So like I'd assume its similar to healing from any emotional trauma. Like I realized dating someone whose parents didnt teach them unconditional love meant that they viewed all love towards them as fundamentally conditional. Ultimately it takes someone capable of giving that love until they figure it out. Which isn't me anymore.

[–] PapaSkwat@lemmy.today 2 points 7 minutes ago

Yeah, change like that does require self-reflection, which a lot of these types just don't know how to do.

[–] d3m0nr4v3r@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago) (1 children)

In understand and agree with what you are saying all in all but you are being a little too harsh in your tone and maybe also in some assumptions about OP, I think. The best advice comes in a form that is digestible for the recipient.. If giving advice is what you are doing and not telling OP off, that is. Anyways, as I said, I agree with you but I just felt your were being almost a little unfair 😌

[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca 1 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

Read back. I wasn't harsh until OP responded disingenuously.

As far as this person. I specifically dislike when people play devils advocate while knowing they don't actually know enough. Especially when they're reenforcing toxic male behaviours towards women.

The person I'm replying to is genuinely doing harm to OP by feeding into their confirmation bias. Lets not forget I'm telling OP not to do something that could have life changing social consequences... especially if they go about it in the socially inept way they present themselves.

[–] SnoopSqueak@lemmy.today -1 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Some of the people here are family men who actually do know what we're talking about. To falsely equate your "I don't know" with experience driven advice, is a disservice to OP.

Kindly fuck off with your assumptions. When I was young, I chose not to have children because my parents were unable to raise me without traumatic fear and pain, and I never wanted anyone else to feel that.

I love someone, but we are not together and likely never will be.

Would you be upset if someone told you that you don't love your wife?

Stop pretending to know things you cannot know. Your experience is not everyone's.

[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca -1 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago) (1 children)

Would you be upset if someone told you that you don't love your wife?

You? No. My father? yes.

The fact that you think I'm assuming things about your life shows that you're reacting defensively instead of maturely considering what's being presented to you.

[–] SnoopSqueak@lemmy.today 0 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

I am reacting defensively, you attacked OP by pretending to know their mind and confidently asserting you know they are wrong when you can't possibly know that. It's a pretty shitty thing to do and it'd be wrong of me not to point that out.

Here's one for you: you don't actually love your father, it's stockholm syndrome. How do I know? It happened to me, therefore it must also be your experience.

Does that feel good?

[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

lmao I did not attack OP. Read back. They started it and you're being ridiculous.