I've donated to a candidate for the first time this year and volunteered for his campaign events in my area. We might be supporting the same one! We can PM about that if you like. But the fellow supporters have all been very nice people with a strong values system, and genuinely believe in respect and equality. There has been a little class bias form a few, but not intentional. Implicit bias, especially on class issues, is woven into the fabric of American culture.

What's considered "poor" where you live is unfathomable to me. They'd probably consider me underclass rather than working class. That extremity of easy affluence certainly taints their world view. I urge you not to focus too much on a culture that toxic. You won't find your place there, so keep on looking forward to your goals. You'll find your pond somewhere else. I've been following Brexit too, and I fully know what you mean about the UK being European and yet not, with a steadily increasing murkiness of the definition. It sounds like you already found a better fit for you, so you already have a path ahead.


Shy guys are only rejected by over-the-top extroverts. Shy women, women who have been in bad relationships, women on the spectrum, and several others who don't quite fall into "type" would likely prefer a shy guy. Good for you for placing your experiences in the context of sample bias. Where you live does not at all represent the entire world.

That was classic Social Darwinism right there. I 100% agree that it's appalling, both morally and factually. Imagine the loss to the scientific world if Stephen Hawking had been told to go and die when he was diagnosed with ALS at 21. And how many other scientists, artists, and philosophers have had disabilities, or been on the spectrum, or been LGBTQ? That alpha male and alpha female nonsense disgusts me and I wouldn't date either one (I'm bisexual).

It isn't at all uncommon for areas with very high affluence to also have nearby high poverty. That affluence comes from somewhere, and it sure isn't hard work alone. America is considered one of the richest nations in the world, if not the very richest, yet we also lead the world in rates of child hunger and poverty. Areas of rural poor have no nearby physical or mental healthcare and terrible schools, and certainly no higher education. Social Darwinism at work again, because rural is considered "less than." In any regard, not just economic, those who have less are considered as BEING less.

The ubiquitous narcissism in our culture disgusts me and makes me also battle against misanthropy. I have seen people who genuinely care about others and devote their lives to selfless service. The candidate I support also gives me hope. That ugly element certainly exists, and sees greed and selfishness as natural or even beneficial, but it isn't the whole of our population.

Highly extroverted NTs (I call them HENTs) would never understand ASD or social anxiety. I actually was diagnosed with ASD at 31, but I don't think it's accurate. I was in a bad place mentally at the time and while I do have some traits ( my whole family does), I don't think I'm all the way on the spectrum. I tend to think of the figurative before the literal, and I can read facial expressions and body language even though I was a slow learner (I grew up pretty isolated). But I do have hyper-sensitive hearing, have had some bad meltdowns, and have always thought in a way that's very different from others. The social situations you were part of were created by and for HENTs. They WILL navigate them with ease, and cast out those who can't swim along.