The Social Media Mirage: Global Access, Local Isolation
Dating apps and social platforms transformed dating from something organic into something algorithmic. What was once rooted in face-to-face interaction became a virtual meat market, where swiping replaced substance and where geography was irrelevant. A woman in Ohio could now chat with a man in Dubai or L.A. without ever leaving her couch.
But this came with consequences.
A small group of top-tier men—athletes, influencers, celebrities, and the ultra-wealthy—can now access thousands of women worldwide. These men drop into DMs, fly women out, sleep with them, and discard them, sometimes keeping them around as “rotation girls” or side chicks.
This illusion of access warps expectations. Many women, after being flown out and used, convince themselves they’re in the same league as these men for long-term commitment. They reject average men in their hometown who might have been solid, loyal partners, believing they can do better—because they had better, even if only for a night.
Meanwhile, the vast majority of men are completely locked out. Dating apps have a notoriously skewed ratio: far more men than women. And women aren’t even seeing most men. Filters for height (often 6'0" or above), income, and status exclude the majority before they get a chance. One swipe and you’re gone.
Feminism & #MeToo: Dating Becomes Dangerous
In the pre-digital world, a man could ask a woman out at work, the gym, or even the grocery store without it being controversial. But thanks to modern feminism and the #MeToo movement, what was once seen as confidence is now framed as harassment.
The message to men is loud and clear: Don’t approach women unless you want to risk your job or reputation.
So men stop approaching. They keep their heads down at work. They ignore women at the gym. They stay silent in public. And the only place left to initiate contact—social media and apps—is a battlefield stacked against them.
Ironically, many women still want to be approached. But now, they have to make the first move. The dynamic is flipped, awkward, and unnatural for both sexes.
COVID: The Final Nail in the Coffin
When the pandemic hit, the last bastions of organic social interaction—bars, clubs, restaurants—were shut down. Lockdowns lasted months, and the social fabric frayed. People got comfortable being alone, or worse, online. Bars, once the quintessential setting for spontaneous flirtation and connection, are now ghost towns—or overpriced lounges where everyone is staring at their phones.
For two years, people were told to stay away from others. Dating was discouraged. Touch was dangerous. And even now, the residual effects linger. People forgot how to approach. The social muscle atrophied.
The New Reality: A Broken Marketplace
What’s left is a dystopian dating market:
A tiny elite of men monopolize attention and intimacy.
Average men are invisible.
Women chase ghosts, ignoring the good men around them.
Men are too scared to approach in real life.
Social skills are deteriorating.
Trust is dead.