Funny you should mention buying gifts. My daughter (17) and I were watching TikTok earlier this afternoon and saw a clip of a young Chinese man making a tub of lipstick out of a stick of bamboo, some rose petals, and a honeycomb for his girlfriend. We both agreed it was one of the sweetest things we'd ever seen.

She's going to cherish that gift because of the time and care he spent making it to give her something to give her some happiness and it's a work of art. Plus, when the bright red runs out, more balm can be made relatively easily.

He didn't spend any money, or very very little.

This is a guy worth dating. His actions, focus, and investment (time) show what he cherishes.

The women you’re seeing and talking about are ones who have accepted the transactional nature of dating that men are peddling online and are just trying to get their fair trade. They’re not interested in relationships or emotionally investing in men any more than the men who refuse to move beyond transactional thinking are after any more than sex.

This hubris from men has been going on for so long and with it all laid out on the internet for anyone to see, honestly… what did you think? That women would just shrug, accept it, and go along with it without some kind of a response or blowback?

Actually, some did. The so called “gold diggers” is what that looks like. That’s the game that men wanted to play as explained in nauseating detail all over the internet. Their rules. Funny though. You guys always high five each other over getting top dollar for your trade ins, etc. What’s the difference?

Others are moving on without men, embracing single life, adopting misandry, rage writing, going dark online, becoming apathetic towards men and man drama, etc. Some still have hope. Still others are doubling down on male appeasement and attacking women who are just done with it all.