Sure, just keep in mind that most of the answers you got are completely wrong :]

DO NOT ASK SOCIAL MEDIA IMPORTANT MEDICAL QUESTIONS. CONSULT AN EXPERT.

Almost all of the replies here are wrong or missing important information.

There’s a line running through the middle of this; on one side you’re strongly independent and on the other side you’re an asshole. I’ve veered back and forward across this line for most of my life (in my late 40s now). There’s no hard and fast rules around which side of the line you’re on in any given situation, every circumstance is different and needs to be assessed on its own merits.

If meeting somebody halfway means doing something I don’t want to do, I don’t want a relationship with this person.

Having this as a hard rule that you always stick to, will frequently put you on the asshole side of the line. Sometimes its nice to do something for someone, even if you don’t particularly enjoy it, just because it’ll make them happy. If you care a lot about them, making them happy is enjoyable (well, it should be!) even if the specific activity isn’t. As I said, you assess each situation on its own merits. Figuring out how much you’re willing to compromise on stuff like this, and for whom, is just something you’ll need to work on over time. If it’s something that you don’t particularly want to do but it’ll make your partner really happy, why wouldn’t you want to give them that?

Communication is key. You need to be able to explain to the person why you make these decisions, but also be able to listen to them about how they feel about it, and find some understanding on both sides.

But why must couples do everything together?

They shouldn’t, people who think like that are awful. But they should do some things together. Probably quite a lot of things.

If a person I’m dating feels entitled to try to change me, I don’t see how a relationship would work

Going from being by yourself to being in a relationship will always require changes. If the way you think in a relationship doesn’t change to include the other person, then you’re not really in a relationship you’re just hanging out. People shouldn’t try to force changes on people against their will, but you should be accepting that you will need to make some changes, just because it is a fundamentally changed situation from being on your own.

It does sound to me like you have some reflexive responses that are a reaction to your upbringing, that I suspect will make it difficult for you to communicate and negotiate through a relationship in these ways. Some kind of therapy can potentially help you work through some of this, but also being self aware (which you seem to have some amount of) and learning through experience should be able to mature these aspects of your personality over time, as long as you make the effort to self-assess and try and be as objective as possible in those assessments.

lol you’re the one who came in swinging with “for all I know!” “you could be lying!” as soon as I pressed you on a point. That’s the definition of a bad faith argument, you’re not acctually trying to engage with points of discussion you’re just trying to “win” the conversation.

lol do you always assume anyone who disagrees with you is acting in bad faith? Whst a convenient way to shield yourself from uncomfortable truths.

No wonder you’re desperate to lock someone into a relationship with you asap, you sound nuts.

Paranoia wtf? I’ve formed my opinions from my life experiences, are you trying to tell me you’ve done peer reviewed research to decide what makes a good relationship?

I was with my wife for 10 years before I proposed. We have the best relationship of anyone we know. I know plenty of people who married after a couple of years and are fucking miserable.

This is terrible advice. Most people’s “gut” reactions are heavily based on external influences like peer group pressure, media influence and upbringing.

Practice critical thinking.

If you’re in a good relationship but they leave because they couldn’t wait 4 years to get married, then you fucking dodged a bullet. Jesus fucking christ.

Find a skill based hobby that you love and practice it every week. Stuff like a sport, musical instrument, art, etc. The hobby itself will be rewarding but there is no substitute for having decades of experience under your belt for these kind of activities.

Also, don’t have children.

I’ve been a programmer for decades and I still sometimes look at code I wrote 6 months ago like what the fuck was I thinking. Code is as much art as science.

Linux, bro.

Linux.

“I bomb atomically, Socrates’ philosophies and hypotheses can’t define how I be dropping these mockeries”

Malmsy.

“Yikes”.

Effectively firing half the employees seems like a strong sign that the new owners are going to ruin what made Bandcamp good.

I’m so fucking tired, you guys.