Sorry, that was for Bookworm.

We can all enter old age and infirmity as attachmentless singletons and hope our nurses aren't too cruel.

Maybe if we're lucky they'll speak English.

Like our kids

won't just stick us in nursing homes anyways

All of my grandparents died in their own homes.

Enter old age? I don't plan to live that long.

I have no idea bout my family.

one noped out at 8 the other at 18

Did they 'nope' out with one of those 'projectile devices'?

No

one vanished completely, the other left a note saying "Rent is paid for 12 months, going to mexico with boyfriend don't look for me."

Was that 8 a typo or did an 8-year-old in your family vanish? I wouldn't classify that as 'noping' out.

No..

my father vanished when I was 8

Ah, ok.

my mother stayed around long enough for me to be "legal" and vanished

or well

not vanish, she at least said fuck off

It seems like a lot of people view relationships as business deals. This is depressing to me.

Oh I do not, however..most girls bore me

so..

and I don't like Dick.

I'm not trying to say relationships should be economic exchanges, I'm just trying to give my opinion on why we're seeing the changes we're seeing.

People used to need to pool two incomes to live a comfortable middle-class lifestyle. It was a motivating factor. Now they don't.

Relationships are, in essence, business deals.

Clearly there are still some economic benefits. Shared expenses and economies of scale.

But they're minor.

And women, being the gatekeepers, are now free to be choosier. They don't seem to mind waiting for a better mate to come along (even if no one comes along), or sharing the attention of one high-tier male with a few other women.

Why are women the gatekeepers? Gatekeepers of what?

Men can be choosy too

See above chart.

It takes agreement on both sides to form a modern relationship

Yes, but there are still straight men who say no to female suitors.

I hear men use the term "ugly" often enough when referring to a woman

That's because bitches be crazy.

I say no to single moms and women who weigh more than 2/3rds my weight.

So you're being choosy

Compared to men, women have little risk in modern relationships.

What if the woman is your height or taller? Is maybe 3/4 or 4/5 your weight reasonable then? Or are you choosy about height as well?

a woman taller than me wouldn't date me