u/UnbenouncedGravy

My high school sweetheart and I just broke up, and I have 0 friends here. I'm originally from West Palm Beach; I moved here for work in 2024. I work for a small tech company from Belgium.

I have two cars I'm building out, I do computers, guns, electric guitar (barely), video games occasionally.

Not really too interested in co-ed stuff, but if that's what's popular, that's fine. Just looking to make some guy friends.

Thanks!

What is it that's sucking away people's brain matter as the days pass?

Why can't I use words with more than three syllables with people half the time?

Why is it unsafe to assume a general member of the population is even actively thinking?

I feel like we have so heavily departed from appreciation of hard work. Not just picking up a shovel and digging a hole but picking up a book that might be above your skill level.

People used to have interesting and weird hobbies. Stamp collecting, taxidermy. RC planes.

I feel like 90% of the people I meet lack this sort of gumption, substance. Not that they're lesser, or have less to offer, but I feel like the uniqueness of humanity has been vacuumed up by social media and online interaction.

Kids don't read books anymore. Their parents don't make them play with the puzzle on the restaurant menu, they hand them the iPad with Cocomelon playing.

I could never make it as an educator. I'm terrible at explaining, and I have 0 patience when people don't understand me.

How the hell do you do it? I can't imagine anything except K-3rd being enjoyable to teach at this point, and even then, you're gambling on if the parents at home are trying to continue that education.

Where are we headed as a society? Do you think I'm overreacting? I truly hope I am, but I feel like I don't see people chasing knowledge anymore. They're just content to be, as-is. Nothing wrong with that I guess, but I feel like pursuit of knowledge is a human tenet.

Florida-born male, 25yo. I used to live in West Palm Beach, I joined the military and got a job in Naples after my contract.

I'm having so much trouble finding friends. Not that I'm a weirdo or anything, I'm smart, I'm in the top 5% for income for my age, I have cool cars, I have cool hobbies (drones, computers, cars, guns, art, photography, cinematography, drinking, smoking, anything else you think a typical 25yo dude would do) but I don't meet great calibers of people through those avenues.

I see dudes around my age but I can just *tell* most of the time that we aren't gonna mesh. I was poor as FUCK growing up, I have a really cynical sense of humor / self, and that does not mesh AT ALL with the rich / classy vibe here. Not that I can't fit in with that easily, but I don't want to feel like I have to.

I just feel like I'm trapped with shitty options. Not that you have to be a top 1% earner to be my friend, but does no other 25yo just have a stable, normal life?

Before you yell at me, yes I'm picky as hell. I just want to find the same friendship with people I had in the military, but it seems almost impossible to begin to establish the trust required.

I'm a young guy, and this field is (in my experience) dominated by the older generation. I always want to ask questions, but it's hard to do that when the only available people are my bosses.

I work for a small company. It's based in Europe, and we have <5 US-based employees. If you count only full-timers, it's just me and the CEO. He says he's doing it for fun, but it's really just a pretty paycheck he won't tell me about.

Anyway.

I do everything here. Everything but the financials.

I travel, I conduct training classes, I repair gear, I calibrate gear, I ship and receive gear.... IT, customer support, trouble tickets.... the list goes on. I travel 10-15 times a year, about a week at a time.

I generate ~$500k a year just from my main job title, and probably around ~$800k-$1.5M in a good year. That is directly traceable income to me - they constantly tell me they wouldn't be able to keep the lights on without me.

I get paid alright, just above 70k. I'm also in one of the top 5 most expensive cities in the USA. If I didn't have some side income, I'd be in a studio apartment in the ghetto.

I have no degree (some military equivalent BS), 8yr experience with radars, and I'd like to think I can grasp this stuff a lot quicker than most.

My question is basically, how am I sitting? Should I be job hopping like all these other, older guys? Or should I really lock in for a while and make a good name for myself here? Is the pay alright, compared to other positions like this?

I don't really have any family / friends / coworkers I can bring this to, so any ideas are welcome. Thank you