Time and time again I've been asking myself that same question. Should I date anyone? Do I need a "significant other" to make myself complete and to have this sense of "manness"?

Some sectors of society seem to dictate that one should and also how many years apart someone should date another and that interracial dating is wrong and all other junk and if any or all of these "norms" are violated it is viewed with repugnancy and the judgement if God is brought down opon you. Dating also seems to come with alot of technicality, namely chemistry, emotional needs, smothering, clinginess, you name it that is too headbanging for me. If the slightest thing seems to go wrong, BOOM! It's over and you are the wickedest and vilest person to ever walk the face of the earth!

People also forget that guys have feelings too. We can't cry, we get told that we must move and and buck up and be a man and if in some peoples eyes we vilote any of these rules, we are sissy and end up having derogetory things being said either to our faces or behind our backs. Also, girls seem to be very confusing. They act one way but then mean something else. You gt the impretion that things are ok but then you hear stuff that suggest otherwise and then you are left to lick your wounds. They can't seem to be upfront and honest. THere is the argument, oh I didn't want to hurt his feelings. That is crap right there! Didn't they stop to think that we would find out the truth someday?

Then it's like people seem to have one way of thinking. If a guy is polite and nice to a girl, it means he wants something from her or that he is a whimp. I was taught to open doors for ladies, be polite to them and never hit them under no circumstances, yet I tend to get treated like the scum of the earth or like I'm a leper. Is it that I'm not rich enough or cute enough? I mean even when I just want to have a friendly conversation someone will assume and then I get accused of all kinds of things and all I just want to do is to get to know them and be friends. I don't see how you can meet someone for the first time and be attracted to them. I don't believe in that. I'm sorry. People then come up with all kinds of reasons for people being treated like that none of which make anysense. Based on what I've seen I've come to the conclusion that you have to be in "the clique" to be accepted and talk to anyone and if not, you are scum and are subject to be treated as such and it is repugnant for you to dare talk to a girl even if you want to be just friends.

So back to my question. To date or not to date? I'd say not to date!