Parental Empathy and Child Well-being Concerns in Modern Society

Hi y'all, fellow nerds! I just finished watching a YouTube video about a man in his 20s who recently attempted suicide. Having had my own struggles with suicidal thoughts, I found the reaction of his parents particularly troubling; they treated him like he was the problem, yelling at him as if he were a criminal. It seems that many parents today lack understanding and empathy for their children. Too often, children are seen merely as a means to an end—a way to elevate social status and gain validation from society. Indeed, many parents today shy away from the hard work of parenting, which could explain why this young man felt driven to attempt suicide. As a person in my 50s, I can relate to the challenges of being in your 20s; I also felt as though no one cared about me. The main difference is that I never turned to drugs or alcohol, which can worsen suicidal thoughts. Parents often want their children to just be compliant while they focus on their own ambitions, and this lack of support can lead to devastating outcomes. It seems that families today, particularly since the late 1990s, often operate not out of love but out of competition. Siblings compete against each other, and parents compete with their children for attention and approval. This dynamic might explain the tragic outcome of a popular actress like Hayden Panettiere. I can envision her struggle: trying to find her path while dealing with a father who was overly attracted to her and a mother who felt insecure. This kind of environment can lead a person to feel unloved and ultimately result in tragedy, as seen in her drug overdose. This cycle of neglect contributes to the growing homeless population in America. A study conducted in 2010 found that one in three people in the U.S. displayed narcissistic traits—caring only for themselves. I'm sure that number has increased over time. The pressure to succeed in your 20s, to establish a family and a stable life, is immense. It's remarkable that I've never turned to drugs or alcohol, despite growing up in a similarly narcissistic family as many others. I genuinely hope that this young man finds peace. I believe many people sense that he is a good person, and it’s concerning how some may manipulate him into substance abuse. For instance, one friend in my town repeatedly tried to pressure me into consuming extremely strong alcohol and drugs. I also have someone at Starbucks who I suspect is trying to do the same thing. It’s unfortunate that some people, recognizing the goodness in others, feel compelled to sabotage their paths. Their motives are selfish; they prey on good people, hoping to drag them into a life of addiction or other harmful behaviors. And when these good individuals face the consequences, the manipulative ones often evade responsibility, claiming they were only encouraging a friend to "just try it." Unfortunately, many bad people take pleasure in the downfall of those who are genuinely good. I HATE PEOPLE!!! HATE THEM SO MUCH!!!!

Personal Journal Entry

Hi y’all! My dorky self is back at it again. I had a good week this time around. I played some video games, and honestly, I am hesitant to get a job because I know that after 90 days, they want to fire me—or even sooner than that—and there’s nothing I can do about it. If I could just digitize myself into a video game, I think I would be more successful. Instead, I'm the closet homosexual of Bakersfield. Oh, how the mighty have fallen! I started working out to try to meet a girl, but after getting blocked by the countless men in Bakersfield and having information withheld from me, I've concluded that I'm just a loser in life. Now that I’m a “loser,” and living better than them, those same stupid men from my teens and twenties want to be my “friend” to help me win the game of life. They even offered me free samples of Viagra—not just any Viagra, but the 20-times strength kind—and encouraged me to try it out on every girl in town. But are these people targeting me to set me up with someone attractive? Hell no! They once let a girl named Lisa be my girlfriend or at least try to be. She was 80 pounds overweight and caused a ruckus like there was no tomorrow. I quickly broke up with her after she thought she’d received a lot from me. She doesn’t realize that I donated to her because I felt sorry for a single mother with the mentality of a 10-year-old on drugs, trying to raise three kids. She must honestly think she looks like a model. HAHA!!! =D! I made sure to keep doing my thing because I didn't want to end up entangled with her—exactly what she was trying to do. People see my face and appearance and think I’m naïve and stupid, especially dumb, evil people like Lisa, who overestimate their own intelligence. But I could see right through her. I’m not as naïve as she thinks I am, and I ensured that when we were intimate, I couldn’t get hard because I kept jacking off. The only person I love is my ex-girlfriend Tip; that’s it, no one else! Anyway, back to gaming. I was playing Dawn of War and had a challenging time trying to beat this one mission. As I was engrossed in my game, a woman walked into Starbucks, and the only free comfortable seat was right next to me. She made sure to avoid sitting next to me because of my appearance. People often judge me based solely on that. They never want to get to know me; they just see how I look, make assumptions, and treat me accordingly. So, she ended up sitting somewhere else, and it was uncomfortable for her since the only truly comfortable seat was right next to me. Eventually, she did sit next to me, but across from me. While I was playing, I like to enjoy my game and talk to myself since nobody else talks to me. She thought it was a way to make her like me, which I wasn’t trying to do. When she covered her ears, I got up and got out I'm not taking this shit because the guy next to me is obnoxiously loud and he’s not even good-looking. Why don’t you say something to him? I packed up my things and told her she could take my seat. She just looked at me, and I left in an angry huff. The attendant said, "By Leo," but I never responded. As a handsome man, if you live long enough like I have, you get sick and tired of the B.S. You won’t put up with it anymore, and since you’re good-looking and take all kinds of crap constantly, you end up becoming an old, bitter man. I hate people… just as much as they hate me for my looks!

Personal Account of Social Alienation

Hello, everyone! How are you all doing? I had a good week overall, but I’ve noticed that people still seem to avoid me. It feels like wherever I go, there’s this intense animosity directed toward me. For instance, at Starbucks, there was a woman who dresses in a collared shirt and jeans, yet she acts straight. She was talking to an older guy, who looks like a grandpa, instead of me, even though we’re both the same age. It seemed like she was making a point of choosing him over me, as if we were in some kind of competition. I couldn’t help but think of Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones, ready to fight me for his Khaleesi. While they were chatting, I played a video on my laptop that said, “Dadbod wins the dating game every time,” because let’s be honest—dadbod does have a winning streak. I really don’t get why she seemed intent on making that point about the older looking guy. After that, she even got on her phone to talk with a potential employer, making it seem like she was bragging about having work while I didn’t. I could tell she was probably lying, so I whispered under my breath, “Full of shit.” Maybe it intimidated her because as she left, she accidentally knocked into my stuff and said, “Sorry,” but it felt insincere. I didn’t respond at all. This situation reminds me of another incident where a woman hit on a guy in a walker right in front of me, almost like she was implying that the elderly man was a better choice than me, a young, athletic guy who’s also intelligent. If a woman is that misguided, why would I want to be with someone like her anyway? People seem to forget that in movies, Patrick Dempsey often wins the romantic plot, but in reality, it’s Homer Simpson who comes out on top. The winners in this world often seem to be mediocre men rather than someone like me, and it feels like it has been this way for a long time. Some people just don’t realize this or lack the life experience to see it clearly. I think something I said might have made its way back to others since I voiced my frustration. Lately, I’ve been playing a lot of video games because that’s seen as the only acceptable outlet for men like me, who have high testosterone. I recently beat Elden Ring and recorded it for posterity. I also finished my Lakers season but got eliminated in the first round. It’s okay; I was eager to play online anyway. I’ve been contemplating whether I might be autistic. I’ve been told that I could be undiagnosed and unaware of it. It’s possible I have high-functioning autism, which might explain why people often treat me poorly. The more I reflect on my experiences, the more my flaws seem to surface and hinder my ability to connect with others.