Typing into the void, yay!

If the story here is told in earnest, I can think of two possible solutions.

First, perhaps the “being a jerk” thing might be conflated with some other change, such as simply being more assertive or socially confident in general. See if you can be confident and assertive without the “jerk”. Think aggressively supportive or unflinchingly complimentary (“Hey, you’re looking really nice, and I hope you have a nice day!” Or “I noticed you’ve been working on X really hard, and the progress is showing!”).

Second, use your newfound social connections to your advantage! Talk with the girls about how you’ve been feeling, and then ask them if they would be able to introduce you to one of their friends that might enjoy the version of you that feels like you.

Both of these paths will take courage! It’s tough to be vulnerable when you’re already accustomed to social disappointment. But if you can get this far, go a little further and you just might find some real and profound happiness for yourself.

And a bag of cocaine! Or maybe that’s the gloves, lol.

Honest question. What alternative perspective do you think they could bring that would heighten discourse?

I personally don’t think there is such a thing. Not with modern online conservatives.

I have a million other avenues for listening to conservatives if I want to. I don’t need them here.

If it helps, I don’t think I’ve run across any obviously right wing comments on Lemmy in a long time, at least not any that haven’t been ratioed to hell and back.

Another fun story is c/conservative. It was started by a conservative, iirc, and for reasons I can’t fully recall, is now modded by leftists, and the whole community’s purpose is calling out conservative nonsense.

The social fabric of Lemmy seems to be very anti-conservative, which is really refreshing for me, at least.