I am not joking when I say that I thinked for hours about how do people find each other in 2025.
Currently, the world is in very weird state. People online are either using social video platforms or they are reading news or lurking in online forums in it’s different shapes and forms.
Most chat platforms that I know had shut down and most alt social platforms are almost dead. Even Hackernews had started to see a lower amount of comments compared to previous years.
I want a serious answer, how should I find people online to talk to about anything really other than politics?
You really want online? I guess playing games, discord, vrchat.
My suggestion, do stuff IRL
Where are you going to meet people IRL? What are you, 12? IRL doesn’t have any groups that do anything remotely interesting, and it’s expensive asf to travel and those groups are nigh-undiscoverable. And don’t harass random strangers, you’re not gonna make many friends like that, unless you mean in prison.
tf? 🤨
Brother I’m a young adult, I’ll give you some suggestions. Basically any sport, hobby, interest you have you can meet people. I hope this helps you, maybe I’ll see you out there.
Sports
Sporty-ish
Outdoorsy stuff
More Expensive Hobbies
idk how to classify this
Not physical stuff
Volunteering
Staying at home trying to find people
I still dont get pickleball… But I do want a movie (think The Benchwarmers or Blades of Glory level of effort) set in the suburbs, styled like a LA gang-land film, where a bunch or retirees, HOA people and PTA parents fight over if the community center installs a racketball or pickleball court.
Probably wouldn’t try to meet any women in these scenarios though, unless you’re a grizzly bear of course.
Also
(Had to make the joke lmao sorry)
One of my friends met his wife at a school hiking club.
+1 for hiking groups/clubs. It usually consists of lonely people who spend too much time inside, I made some friends that way.
Obviously, don’t suggest a hike to the deep forest with convenient lack of phone service and witnesses as a first date :)
You were talking about IRL, yet mention game servers and VRC? Wut?
I do appreciate the suggestions but I wasn’t asking for advice lol, I was debating your point. I have no trouble meeting people, but your way isn’t one I’ve ever had success with, as a not-so-young-anymore adult. Online has been much more fruitful always.
I guess what you’re trying to say is if you’re into all those outdoorsy hobbies you end up meeting people IRL?
I brought up online stuff because some over here refuse to get outside, if that’s you then it might work out.
That’s a dumb idea though, best shot to make friends is through a website or social media or dating app.
Outside it’s almost impossible because like lol you’re not gonna harass randoms at a grocery store because you like their band t-shirt or smth unless you’re 13.
And I suppose unless you’re already some outdoorsy knucklehead, but then the kinda folks you meet in those situations aren’t the ones at least i’d want around, there’s not much to talk about with a person like that, can’t share any hobbies like e.g. exploit dev, music production, video games, electronics (breadboards, Arduino, that kinda dealie), politics, history, economics, drugs (no weed or alcohol tho ewww 🤮) plus they’re probably some moron who thinks 5G causes COVID, trump is going to fix Europe and vaping is harmful for you and drinks coffee instead of monster and probably eats sugary food etc etc…
Idk what I’m saying anymore or why I’m on this app. My company is the only one I enjoy. I think I have schizoaffective disorder.
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You were talking about IRL, yet mention game servers and VRC? Wut?
I do appreciate the suggestions but I wasn’t asking for advice lol, I was debating your point. I have no trouble meeting people, but your way isn’t one I’ve ever had success with, as a not-so-young-anymore adult. Online has been much more fruitful always.
Meetup.com has a lot outdoors groups for camping, hiking, outdoors skills, etc. Local outdoor climbing groups are also popular places to meet people, as well as climbing gyms, especially if you meet another solo autobelayer that needs a toprope pal. Your municipal community centers usually host things like dodge ball and other events. Your city is almost guaranteed to have one or two major cycling groups, which offer everything from queer history rides (gentle, 3mi rides) to 200mi long weekend rides.
There’s also singles adventures groups (a paid service) that do everything from high ropes courses to boat excursions to ballroom dancing nights.
If you’re a furry, telegram has a lot of groups for local skiing/mountain biking/gardening/rock climbing/cons/parties. Usually municipal events chats too.
Yeah I guess if you’re into this weird stuff or you’re a furry, but again, none of those are IRL, and that’s what’s being debated, since the guy I’m replying to specifically said “IRL” as opposed to OP asking how to meet people online. Please learn to read.
These are all outside, IRL. All of the things I just mentioned are where the schedules are posted…
They’re not.
They are literally on a website meetup.com… you’re finding people ONLINE to then meet IRL. It’s not the same as meeting people IRL, same as how online dating is still online dating even though you meet the person IRL, because you met them online on the dating apps or whatever.
Are you a sign of things to come with people using chatbots instead of thinking?
Back 10-15 years ago a friend tricked me into trying social dancing (think swing, salsa, tango, etc.) by telling me we were going bowling. They drove so I could not escape. Turns out I like it and since it’s not partnered a lot of people come alone and if you can summon up basic courtesy and respect, many of them will dance with you if you just ask. Different dances have different vibes. Swing is wholesome and a bit retro-nerdy, salsa is more flirty and extroverted, tango is intense and deeply technical. I made thousands of IRL acquaintances and dozens of friends doing this over the years. I never went or continued doing it because of the people, but they sure made it worth going. I never saw myself doing or liking this until I tried it. Now I can’t imagine my life without and I seek it out in every city I travel to. I imagine other hobbies could be similar. You can find group bike rides for various skill levels. Maybe your area has a nature hike club or a mycological society (people who study mushrooms). Poetry slams can be surprisingly cool too. None of this is advertised well, but a great place to look is in the back of an alternative newspaper that covers music and art and stuff like that. Like the back back, just before the weed and escort ads.
I have no interest in any of this.
OP specifically said online.
Tbf, the comment they replied to said:
So with that in mind
Isn’t really that odd of a question to ask in response to
Read the comment I’m replying to
it really helps to live in a city i think. run/cycling, ski meetups are where is at for me