I thought it might be a troll but OP deleted after screenshots started going around rightoid social media.

What will regulatory attorneys do if the CFPB/SEC/etc. are gutted?

I work in federal benefit law. If I lose my job, I can't just hang a shingle 15 years post graduation and practice - they're dismantling it as we speak. I have no idea what I'll do if I get fired, and I expect to be.

But then I realized, they're gutting financial and corporate regulations across the board. Thousands of government lawyers have lost or will lose their jobs, but where will they go? If there's much less regulation, that means fewer attorneys needed, and law firms and corporations will likely have massive layoffs as well to compensate for lack of business.

That's a lot of unemployed attorneys. 2008 but worse. Where will we all go?

pic.twitter.com/bcJfuE8yLQ

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2025

A Uber popular YouTuber has editors?!? Egads!!!

@Garry_Kong opinion?

It was after hours and didn't interfere with p*tients.

https://old.reddit.com/r/Grimdank/comments/1i82wvi/we_need_to_deal_with_nazi_supporters_on_this_sub/m8pv1pt/?context=8

https://old.reddit.com/r/Grimdank/comments/1i82wvi/we_need_to_deal_with_nazi_supporters_on_this_sub/m8pw4w6/?context=8

"What's going on I thought this was a Meme su-?"

"REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

https://old.reddit.com/r/Grimdank/comments/1i82wvi/we_need_to_deal_with_nazi_supporters_on_this_sub/m8pxiwr/?context=8

!reportmaxxers

https://old.reddit.com/r/Grimdank/comments/1i82wvi/we_need_to_deal_with_nazi_supporters_on_this_sub/m8pw1ju/?context=8

!nonchuds

https://old.reddit.com/r/Grimdank/comments/1i82wvi/we_need_to_deal_with_nazi_supporters_on_this_sub/m8pvdnm/?context=8

https://old.reddit.com/r/Grimdank/comments/1i82wvi/we_need_to_deal_with_nazi_supporters_on_this_sub/m8pxn40/?context=8

"If you can't get behind "frick nazis", then frick you."

It was neat the first 36 times but I really need to sleep

And yes it's this specific type, their noises are unique compared to other owls

Barred owls (picrel) are the largest owls that we have here, approaching 2 feet tall in perching positions

Women smell good pic.twitter.com/TVCFCt2N0F

— Fuentes Updates (@FuentesUpdates) February 20, 2025

But now women exist again and everything sucks

We've looked at Daily Mail comments on drinking in the past in Daily Mail commenters have better opinions than boozers and alcoholmisia combined, let's see how they react to the latest evidence that drinking is bad for you.

Overall, researchers found having just one alcoholic drink a week raises the risk of suffering from about 19 health conditions compared to not drinking at all.

These included a higher risk of colon and esophageal cancers and of liver cirrhosis.

Dr Kevin Shield, who was involved with the report, told DailyMail.com: 'It's important to note that our report found that no level of alcohol consumption is completely risk-free.

'The analysis results show that, among drinkers, the lower their alcohol consumption, the lower their risk of mortality.

'Conversely, as alcohol consumption increases, so does the risk of mortality. So when it comes to alcohol use, less is best for health.'

Let's look at the comments:

I hate the way that old boomers write online.

etc etc etc

Sorry guys, no rebuilding your fancy houses that burned down by the ocean in LA until there’s a new crack den installed right in the middle of the neighborhood.

The area is like D+43; this seems fair. I don’t make the rules 🤷‍♂️. pic.twitter.com/SVXM5cSCnH

— Joe Lonsdale (@JTLonsdale) January 31, 2025

Young men in New Zealand are all done with the rainbow parades.pic.twitter.com/q3NG2uhUqV

— Billboard Chris 🇨🇦🇺🇸 (@BillboardChris) February 15, 2025

"Is insert thing about America really that bad?"

Yes, you dumb fricks. It's almost like some of us spent years telling you how dangerous this shit was, where it could lead, and you all fricking ignored it. Or told us we were overreacting. I hate to say I told you so, but we fricking told you so. I mean it's all been so god darn blatant for years and now you're surprised? Have you had your head up your butt for the past 10 years?? Are you incapable of performing a simple Google search? Go frick yourselves. You are part of what enabled all of this.

So congrats on joining the rest of us in reality, it sucks huh? Now stop asking inane questions and do something useful.

Reading books would be good. They Thought They Were Free by Milton Meyer and It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis in particular. Idfk. Do the work and learn so you can help fight this. We don't need hand wringing piss babies

Read a book, you hand wringing piss babies.

Self-defense isn't inherently libertarian, conservative, or any other label

Believing in self-defense doesn't make me a libertarian any more than believing in free speech makes me a constitutional scholar

I'm not a libertarian nor a man, but sure, go off. If hearing a perspective you don't like makes you assume I fit into some stereotype, that's on you, not me.

Ah yes, because sharing information and options is now 'gaslamping.'

I never said a gun is the only option just that it's one worth considering alongside other self-defense cowtools. If it's not for you, that's totally fine. But providing information for those who are interested isn't the same as telling everyone they must buy one. Either way, take care.

Owning a gun doesn't make me Rambo… it just means I'd rather have a fighting chance if things go south.

By that logic, should we also stop buying phones because Big Tech censors people?

I shared my perspective (one that seems to resonate with a lot of women) on self-defense because I believe people should have options, not because I'm pushing an agenda or fearmongering

Fear isn't what drives people to own guns reality is. The idea that self-defense is just a marketing scheme ignores the fact that millions of people, including marginalized groups, choose to arm themselves because they don't want to rely on the government, law enforcement, or anyone else for protection. Owning a gun doesn't mean supporting gun manufacturers any more than owning a phone means supporting Big Tech censorship. It's about having the cowtools to protect yourself in a world that isn't always safe.

Rule 1: Treat all guns as if they are loaded

You forgot Rule 5, "I don't care what you think, your gun is loaded unless you confirm it isn't," and Rule 6, "I know you just confirmed your gun isn't loaded, but you blinked and Reginald the Ammo Goblin may have done something when you weren't looking, so keep treating your gun as if it's loaded."

why did you specifically have an issue with your driver being indian https://t.co/YXSozXoZ1Z pic.twitter.com/r5SepfdVPL

— ralph 🏳️‍🌈 (@TheRocketRalph) January 2, 2025

LOVE a b-word that doesn't back down

tho she did delete the tweet but it's understandable when your account is just posting selfies and shit and then you end up being harassed by a bunch of losers :<

anyway I'm starving and waiting for my frittata to finish cooking so I'm presenting these without any sparky comments, just imagine them yourself

ok but really ugly scrotes i can understand they're always butthurt but there's so many pickme foids calling her racist and supporting death threats against her family as if they secretly wouldn't have the same fear

Jew s cope that the sjws think they suck and are about to kill them

https://old.reddit.com/r/Jewish/comments/1imz2oe/anyone_else_finding_themselves_feeling_unsafe/

Kayne

https://old.reddit.com/r/hiphopheads/comments/1in68nv/ye_fka_kanye_west_is_being_sued_by_a_former/

Australia is now Austria

All Australian must be eaten by dingos

https://old.reddit.com/r/aussie/comments/1inf6tp/bankstown_hospital_workers_brag_about_killing/

https://old.reddit.com/r/circlejerkaustralia/comments/1ini0zv/remember_kids_god_forbid_your_hospitalised_in/

"Jews should all hide in the attic"

https://old.reddit.com/r/moderatepolitics/comments/1imz01m/judge_denies_attempt_to_block_jewish_students/

Jew murdered and r*ped by subhuman savages.

https://old.reddit.com/r/Jewish/comments/1ineu9e/jewish_actor_wears_pin_to_support_hostages_to/

Gazans cope that they suck and are about to die

https://old.reddit.com/r/anime_titties/comments/1in4brt/netanyahu_says_gaza_ceasefire_will_end_if_hamas/

People like this belong in cages

https://old.reddit.com/r/IsraelPalestine/comments/1in5jf5/israel_and_usa_made_me_fall_in_love_with_hamas/?sort=top

Redditards love schizos

https://old.reddit.com/r/Indiana/comments/1inda5p/spotted_in_lafayette_today/

Now that we are freee, let's all admit that everyone loves titties. Titties are great. Hers are great. God bless titties.

Max announce the release of the 'Luigi Mangione: The CEO Killer' documentary on February 17th. pic.twitter.com/nwIEA87QUp

— Pop Tingz (@ThePopTingz) February 13, 2025

Pete Hegseth kicked off his day in Germany training with the elite Green Berets of 1/10 SFG, one of the U.S. Army’s most formidable Special Forces units.

Never seen a US Secrtary of defense do this before . pic.twitter.com/I6OMMSU7tx

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 11, 2025

They should be more fat and black like SECDEF Austin and go out of commission for a week without telling anyone because they can't take care of their body.

A friend of mine has skin cancer and was about to start a clinical trial at MD Anderson after his other treatments did not work.

Trump's decision to temporarily halt funding for medical research also applies to clinical trials.

His treatment is now canceled. pic.twitter.com/7L8cxrwND5

— Eric Koch (@EricDKoch) January 24, 2025

A year into their relationship, Jess and Nate got engaged next to the sea. "It was a golden, sandy beach – empty and secluded," says Jess, 26. "It was just us two there, so it was really intimate."

Except that the couple were actually hundreds of miles apart – and they were role-playing their engagement in the video game World of Warcraft.

Nate, 27, was living just outside London – and Jess was in Wales. After meeting briefly at an esports event in Germany in March 2023, the pair developed a long-distance relationship, playing the game together "from the moment we woke up to the moment we went to bed", says Nate.

The couple still play the game daily, even though they've been living together in Manchester since March 2024. And they know other couples who have found their partners through video games: "It's a different way of meeting someone," says Jess. "You both have such a strong mutual love for something already, it's easier to fall in love."

Nate agrees. "I was able to build a lot more of a connection with people I meet in gaming than I ever was able to in a dating app."

A selfie of Nate and Jess on the left, and on the right, a screenshot from World of Warcraft showing Nate proposing with the words, "Will you marry me?"

Nate and Jess (pictured, alongside their virtual engagement), found love online - but not on a dating app

Nate and Jess are not alone. According to some experts, people of their generation are moving away from dating apps and finding love on platforms that were not specifically designed for romance.

And hanging out somewhere online that's instead focused on a shared interest or hobby could allow people to find a partner in a lower-stakes, less pressurised setting than marketing themselves to a gallery of strangers. For some digital-native Gen Zs, it seems, simply doing the things they enjoy can be an alternative to the tyranny of the swipe.

Internet dating at 30 - a turning point?

Since it first appeared with the launch of match.com 30 years ago, online dating has fundamentally altered our relationships. Around 10% of heterosexual people and 24% of LGBT people have met their long-term partner online, according to Pew Research Center.

But evidence suggests that young people are switching off dating apps, with the UK's top 10 seeing a fall of nearly 16%, according to a report published by Ofcom in November 2024. Tinder lost 594,000 users, while Hinge dropped by 131,000, Bumble by 368,000 and Grindr by 11,000, the report said (a Grindr spokesperson said they were "not familiar with this study's source data" and that their UK users "continue to rise year over year").

According to a 2023 Axios study of US college students and other Gen Zers, 79% said they were forgoing regular dating app usage. And in its 2024 Online Nation report, Ofcom said: "Some analysts speculate that for younger people, particularly Gen Z, the novelty of dating apps is wearing off." In a January 2024 letter to shareholders, Match Group Inc - which owns Tinder and Hinge - acknowledged younger people were seeking "a lower pressure, more authentic way to find connections".

"The idea of using a shared interest to meet someone isn't new, but it's been reinvented in this particular moment in time – it signals a desire of Gen Z," says Carolina Bandinelli, an associate professor at Warwick University whose research focuses on the digital technologies of romance.

Getty Images Joggers running in a parkGetty Images

Many younger people are exploring alternatives to dating apps, from gaming to running clubs and other social activities

According to Danait Tesfay, 26, a marketing assistant from London, younger people are looking for alternatives to dating apps, "whether that be gaming or running clubs or extra-curricular clubs, where people are able to meet other like-minded people and eventually foster a romantic connection".

At the same time that membership of some dating apps appears to be in decline, platforms based around common interests are attracting more users. For instance, the fitness app Strava now has 135m users – and its monthly active users grew by 20% last year, according to the company. Other so-called "affinity-based" sites have seen similar growth: Letterboxd, where film fans can share reviews, says its community grew by 50% last year.

Rise of the hobby apps

And just as in the pre-internet age, when couples might have met at a sports club or the cinema, now singletons are able to find each other in their online equivalents.

"People have always bonded over shared interests, but it's been given a digital spin with these online communities," says Luke Brunning, co-director of the Centre for Love, S*x, and Relationships (CLSR) at the University of Leeds.

"It's increasingly difficult to distinguish between behaviour that's on a dating app and dating behaviour on another platform."

Hobby apps are taking on some features of social media, too: in 2023, Strava introduced a messaging feature letting users chat directly. One twenty-something from London explains that her friends use it as a way to flirt with people they fancy, initially by liking a running route they've posted on the platform. Strava says its data shows that one in five of its active Gen Z members has been on a date with someone they met through fitness clubs.

"[Online] fitness communities are becoming big places to find partners," says Nichi Hodgson, the author of The Curious History of Dating. She says a friend of hers met his partner that way, and they're now living together.

The same appears to apply to Letterboxd, too. With users including Chappell Roan and Charli XCX, it's a popular platform for younger people - two-thirds of members in a survey of 5,000 were under 34.

The company says it's aware of several couples meeting through the app, including one who bonded over a shared love of David Fincher's opinion-dividing 2020 drama Mank. "It could be that seeing other people's film tastes reveals an interesting aspect of themselves," says Letterboxd co-founder Matthew Buchanan.

Why the shift?

So what might be driving this? While dating apps initially appeared to offer "the illusion of choice", and a transparent, efficient way to meet partners, the reality for many has often proven to be different. The Pew Research Center found that 46% of dating-app users said their experiences were overall very or somewhat negative.

The recent decline in user numbers might also be a response to the way some apps are structured – in particular, the swipe feature for selecting potential partners, launched by Tinder in 2013 and widely copied.

Its creator, Jonathan Badeen, was partly inspired by studying the 1940s experiments of psychologist BF Skinner, who conditioned hungry pigeons to believe that food delivered randomly into a tray was prompted by their movements.

Getty Images A psychological experiment with pigeons conducted by BF SkinnerGetty Images

Tinder's swipe mechanism was partly inspired by Harvard Professor BF Skinner's psychological experiments with pigeons in order to understand the brain's reward system

Eventually, the swipe mechanism faced a backlash. "Ten years ago, people were enthusiastic and would talk quite openly about what apps they were on," says Ms Hodgson. "Now the Tinder model is dead with many young people – they don't want to swipe any more."

According to Mr Brunning, the gameifying interface of many dating apps is a turn-off. "Intimacy is made simple for you, it's made fun in the short term, but the more you play, the more you feel kind of icky."

The pandemic may have had an impact, too, says Prof Brian Heaphy at the University of Manchester, who has studied dating-app use in and after the lockdowns: "During Covid, dating apps themselves became more like social media – because people couldn't meet up, they were looking for different things."

Although that didn't last after the pandemic, it "gave people a sense that it could be different from just swiping and getting no responses – all the negatives of dating-app culture," says Prof Heaphy.

And in that context, the fact that video games or online communities like Strava or Letterboxd aren't designed for dating can be appealing. By attracting users for a broader range of reasons, there's less pressure on each interaction.

"Those apps aren't offering a commercialised form of romance, so they can seem more authentic," says Prof Heaphy.

The World of Warcraft characters of PurplePixel and Wochi

The humans behind Wochi and PurplePixel (pictured) met while playing World of Warcraft, though they say finding a partner wasn't their original intention

It's a type of connection free from the burden of expectation. A different couple who met on World of Warcraft – and go by the names Wochi and PurplePixel – weren't looking for love. "I definitely didn't go into an online game trying to find a partner," says Wochi.

But although initially in opposing teams, or guilds, their characters started a conversation. "We spent all night talking until the early hours of the morning, and by the end of the night, I'd actually left my guild and joined his guild," says PurplePixel. Within three years, Wochi had quit his job and moved to the UK from Italy to be with her.

According to Ms Hodgson, "While some dating apps can bring out the worst behaviours, these other online spaces can do the opposite, because people are sharing something they enjoy."

Because of these structural elements, she doesn't think the recent decline in numbers is temporary. "It's going to keep happening until dating apps figure out how to put the human aspect back."

New kinds of dating app

The dating apps aren't giving up without a fight, however. Hinge is still "setting up a date every two seconds", according to a spokesperson; Tinder says a relationship starts every three seconds on its platform and that almost 60% of its users are aged 18-30. In fact, the apps appear to be embracing the shift to shared-interest platforms, launching niche alternatives including ones based around fitness, veganism, dog-ownership or even facial hair.

They're also evolving to encourage different kinds of interaction. On Breeze, users who agree to be set up on a date aren't allowed to message each other before they meet; and Jigsaw hides people's faces, only removing pieces to reveal the full photo after a certain amount of interaction.

It means that it's premature to proclaim the death of the dating app, believes Prof Heaphy. "There's now such a diversity of dating apps that the numbers for the biggest ones aren't the key indicator," he says. "It might actually be a similar number to before, in terms of overall membership."

And there's a downside to people going to more general-interest apps looking for love – people might not want to be hit on when they just want to talk about books. Dating apps, at least, are clear about what their purpose is.

What might the future look like?

In an increasingly online world, the solution to improving relationships might not simply be to go offline. Instead, apps that can offer an experience which more closely mirrors the best of IRL interactions, while tapping into the possibilities of digital ones, might also show a way forward.

With the imminent integration of AI into dating apps, we are "right on the cusp of something new", says Mr Brunning. "It's interesting to see if we'll end up with specific apps just for dating, or will we end up with something a bit more fluid?"

He points to platforms in China that are more multi-purpose. "People use them for chat, for community, and conduct business on them – they can also be dating platforms, but they're often not exclusively for that."

In the meantime, the interactions possible in less mediated communities like World of Warcraft could offer more of a chance to connect than conversations initiated by a swipe.

Jess and Nate's in-game engagement on the beach might not have been real, but the couple are hoping to change that soon. "It's a matter of when, really. There are a few things we need to tick off the checklist, and then she'll be getting her ring," says Nate. And there'll still be a gaming element.

"You can role-play getting married," says Jess. "So it could be funny to get all our friends together at some point in the World of Warcraft cathedral, and we could have a marriage ceremony."

No idea what I'm expecting here in terms of advice tbh.

I was involved with a man who I regarded as my soulmate, things were looking serious. We talked about marriage and the future.

He was from a Muslim background in the Middle East. I'd always been interested in his religion (Islam) and had been studying it. After a couple of years with him, I took the step of converting. Everyone in my family and friends were supportive as they knew it was my choice. There was never any pressure from him.

After converting, we scaled back on the physical side of things and both said it would be best to get married. I was all for this, loved him to bits and wanted my life with him and believed he felt the time.

Unfortunately, his parents back home in his native country had other ideas and wanted an arranged marriage to someone of their choice... After months of trying to make them see reason, he wasn't strong enough to stand by me. So I ended our relationship as I could see it was going to end in tears.

I feel so alone in Islam now. I live in a small semi rural area with no mosque, no community to speak of and I've been shying away from wanting to move on. I feel at a crossroads. There's no chance of meeting a Muslim man here. I feel so lost without him, although I feel ending it with him was the right thing to do as he'd never go against his parents' wishes. Even though he was almost 30 and well-educated.

I'm no so much looking for a husband.. It will take me a long time to get over losing him. He was the first man I ever really loved and imagined a life with. I'm just feeling a bit isolated in terms of being "the only Muslim in the village" so to speak. It's a small and very "white", middle-class community. My ex and I met at uni in a big city, where it's more common to see other Muslims and different nationalities.

I'm feeling so many different things, feel like he's thrown me under the bus. I made so much effort and sacrifice for him, changed my whole way of life and even aspects of my diet and appearance. Yet he couldn't even just stand up for me (with his parents) when it mattered. He claimed to be in love with me (I was his first), yet didn't feel able to have any firm discussion with his parents about marrying me and going through with it.

I feel that being Muslim, this would put non-Muslim men totally off me. Especially with all the negativity around the religion in the media and so on. I don't even have anyone to do Ramadan with, or even talk about the religion.

tfw only muslim in the village

also he absolutely knew he was eventually going to marry someone else, but as she said, they were engaging in the 'physical side of things' and moids will be moids if you let them do that

Most Based Comments

Basedness: 🔥🔘🔘🔘🔘

Same, I am embarrassed AF to be American (-3)

Basedness: 🔘🔘🔘🔘🔘

They don't even want freedom for themselves. What they want is the people they dislike to suffer more than they are. They know they'll lose things they love from all this, but as long as those dirty non-christian gays, or trans, or blacks, or immigrants are having a worse day than they are, then they will be happy. It's worse than you think. It's all about seeing how many people they can make more miserable than they are. (80)

It's not worse than I think, it's worse than I'm willing to admit out loud in the hopes that I'm wrong. (22)

Basedness: 🔘🔘🔘🔘🔘

They aren't the Americans. We are. Believers in the constitution and the rule of law are the only true Americans. Don't cede that to them. (2)

Angriest Comments

Angriness: 😡😡😡😡😡

they say they love america but:they hate science experts they hate the medical expertsthey hate the mediathey hate the citiesthey hate poor people they hate the entertainersthey hate california and new yorkthey hate schools and universitiesthey hate the teachersthey hate the government they hate the experts they hate everything about america "loving" the flag doesn't make you a patriot. (42)

Angriness: 😡😡😡😡😡

Lmao Reddit continues to lose elections for us.Seriously, Democrats are normal people - but Reddit is such an embarrassment.Genuinely not sure you folks go outside of a space that isn't propping up your every viewpoint.Have you ever considered how the other side feels about the plethora of decisions our Democrat presidents make?Wait, let me guess:"Everything a democrat does is good - and everything a republican does is bad - that's fact!!!! Therefore they are wrong no matter what."That's literally the argument Reddit democrats use. We've lost to the "worst literally ever Hitler Nazi common male feminist bad guy orange man" twice now.It's not because of him. ITS BECAUSE OF YOU. Stop being a pathetic groveling baby and try being understanding of people who don't share your opinions (Can't wait for the "their opinions are racist and threaten my existence" bullshit).We will continue to lose elections as long as we continue to act like insufferable pestilent children. (1)

Angriness: 😡😡😡😡😡

I'm scared honestly. I knew he was a threat from the beginning but that he was too weak last time to pull it off. Not enough backing, but now, he's got so many people pulling his strings. He's not senile, he's owned. They are keeping him out of prison, he's knows his time is limited and he doesn't want to spend what he has left in prison, paying for his crimes. I'm ashamed that so many people are defending the obvious actions of a nazi sympathiser. I'm ashamed that after 2016, I learned that there were so many nasty and racist people in the world. They were just really good at hiding. After the 2016 win it was like it was ok to be hateful again and since then it's only gotten worse. I'm scared for anyone who isn't a white male, and if you're not one of those white males then once they find out, you're screwed too. There is no shame anymore, they don't hide their faces anymore. They're out, loud and proud of it. I'm scared for my daughters, and any women, me included but for the most... (1)

Biggest Lolcow: /u/pgrechwrites

Score: 🐮🐮🔘🔘🔘

Number of comments: 4

Average angriness: 🔘🔘🔘🔘🔘

Maximum angriness: 😡😡🔘🔘🔘

Minimum angriness: 😡🔘🔘🔘🔘

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