Historically people weren’t expected to “get it”. Even Gen Xers and early millenials didn’t have to get it considering American society was conducive for pairing up. I’m a late Gen Xer/early Millenial and in my younger years met people (guys and girls) just living my life. I had friends but unfortunately did not get the most out of the 90’s NYC experience because of lack of faith and confidence in myself.
Parks, streets, malls, and shopping centers had kids roaming and playing ball games around in hordes/packs/cliques. And yes, some gangs were part of the 90’s experience in the boroughs of NYC. The park up the block from my apartment had kids there day and night, with some there until the wee hours, drinking and acting nutty. Keg parties were held in parking lots, huge public parks with wind tunnels and baseball fields, and so on. The gyms I went to were social scenes unto themselves, and if one were to go to the beaches in Long Island or out on the town, he’s likely bump into fellow members.
Do young people socialize like this now? Maybe some do, but I don’t see or hear about it. Under such described conditions, men did not need game or to be a natural. The social clout was built in, and people met each other going about their lives. Additionally, back then, while some hypergamy was there, as it has been for all of history, it was not nearly as pronounced. And women generally liked men back then. In fact, they typically were embarrassed not to have a boyfriend.
This is why, though I’m a Xillenial, I do not speak to younger men as if they are living in the era I grew up in. As my friend said, many boomers would be unemployable and womanless today. They were not naturals.
Some examples:
My uncle (an actual Chad and multimillionaire): met my aunt through family’s introduction.
Uncle #2: Met my aunt through family’s introduction.
Uncle #3: Met my aunt through friends.
Friend #1: Met wife through his ethnic community.
Friend #2: Married a women he knew in high school.
Ex-friend (a womanizer): Met wife through brother’s introduction.
My father: Date with woman didn’t work out, so she introduced him to my mom! Let me ask ya, what woman today would do that for you after she rejected you?
Friend #3: Met wife at charity event.
I can go on and on with example after example. Only one mentioned above pulled game and was a natural. Even OLD was a much different scene in the late 90’s and aughts. I even got women l through AOL chat rooms.
It was a different world.