Certainly the orange didn't build his fortune on his own; a rich daddy paved the way for him and used his own connections with the local political machine to aid himself and his son. The ideology that gave us the Robber Barons has not left mainstream culture. Real estate sharks devoured properties foreclosed upon in the 2008 crash and played an enormous impact on what the country is experiencing now. A lot of them focused on your area.

I've experienced that at rallies I've attended as well, and not just events for my candidate. It's a powerful feeling when complete strangers stand together for the same goal and same values. It gives hope for the future of humanity.

PTSD isn't only from traumas like war, sexual assault, or surviving as a hostage. It's something to consider talking to a counselor about.

Your mother is a wise lady and has been in your situation herself. She had a relationship at your age but you wrote of the kind of person your father is. Having someone just to be with someone is NOT a good idea. I know now what a bad relationship is like and will certainly be more cautious in the future. He became verbally and emotionally abusive and I have no doubt that had I not broken up with him, he would have become physically abusive. His behavior after the breakup verged on stalking. I'm single now but content with that until I meet someone who is actually capable of love. He only wanted the security and "status" of having a girlfriend because like you, his family gave him a hard time for still being single at 31. In his case, he was single for a good reason. In yours, it's because you're in the wrong place. Listen to your Mom on this one. You'll do better once you can finally move abroad. That isn't uncommon for people on the spectrum.

No one is 100% logical; we're humans, not Vulcans. People who are convinced that emotion plays no role in their decision making are often the most vulnerable to emotional manipulation; there's been at least one major study on that, probably more. Accepting our emotions without judgement is the key to an emotionally healthy life. The self-compassion site helped me learn that.

You have a great guide in your mom. She has your best interests at heart. The people berating you do not. Who will you listen to?