ngl, this is partially why I enjoyed deleting facebook in 2012. The ability to just impulsively compare myself to others is far too common on sites like that, so the freedom of not even having to worry about mistakenly glancing too long at an old friends profile is never a concern I have.

Sometimes it takes a while. Run your own race, not theirs. I didn't figure out what I wanted to do till I was 30. Before then I was absolutely anon, living in a room with a mattress, a PC and a pile of empty vodka bottles i sold plasma to pay for. Now I've got a career, a family, a home.

Dont compare yourself to others. Everyone has their own course to follow and their own struggles to get through.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Bro thinks Facebook is real life. Lmao

I’m married with a newborn, to the envy of my friends, who are all either single or in casual relationships. At the same time, I’ve got a shit job with shit pay and no education beyond high school, while all my friends are either working good jobs in their field or working on their masters degree. I’d love more than anything to have a steady job with good pay, even if it was a boring job, but with no education I don’t think that can happen. I’m very jealous of my friends and wish I could have what they have, meanwhile they look at me and say the same.

All that is to say, no one has it perfect, even if you think they’ve got everything you want, I can guarantee they wish they had something different, possibly something you’ve got. Don’t be so hard on yourself, comparing yourself to others.

Don't waste your time on jealousy
Sometimes you're ahead
Sometimes you're behind
The race is long, and in the end
It's only with yourself

[...]

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives
Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't

Everybody's Free (to wear sunscreen), Baz Luhrmann

One NPC believes he has failed at Life (TM) , as brought to you by Meta Corporation, believes other NPC is 'main character'.

Meanwhile, 'main character' quite likely is laboriously and neurotically curating and self-censoring his corporate social media profile precisely to present the appearance of succeeding at Life (TM) , as brought to you by Meta Corporation, and in reality is likely in financial arrears, isn't satisfied or happy with his job, feels like it is mostly bullshit work, and is probably overtired most of the time, having little ability to develop any skills or interests not directly related to his job.

In summary, the NPC management system continues to work as intended, convincing everyone that everyone else is more happy and succesful and fulfilled than themself, ensuring the vast majority of NPCs are too demoralized to be able to consider meaningfully changing the system.

Sure, if the race is to be a normie, then Anon NPC 1 missed the starting gun.

But if the race is to live a genuine, authentic, intentional life, to define what that even means, and then to pursue it, muchless be largely in control of it, with 'main character' levels of plot orientation and plot armor?

Chances are high that neither NPC has even figured out the location of the venue for that event.

... because that event is not a product offered or showcased by Meta Corporation.

Essentially nothing here sounds like main character. This could be the most miserable mofo in the world. Grass is always greener...

Yeah bro, how you spend your days is how you spend your life.

Clean and decorate your home. Develop a sense of style. Go out and do things and meet people. Challenge yourself to do something interesting every week. Talk to people, get out of your shell.

Sincerely, the first of her childhood friend group to get married

Possibly not fake

Might even not be gay

Fake: Anon cares about other people.

Gay: Anon stalks his highschool boyfriend long after breakup.

More often than not, the friend is putting on a performance. I'm not saying people don't have happily ever afters, but I am saying that people mostly show the best part of whatever they do.

On the other hand: I have the money and free time to afford and play any games that I want. Nothing dark about that.

On the other hand: I read about the lives of random terrorists, mass shooters, and I instsntly feel so much better about myself, at least I'm not that fucked up lol

I also feel like I am still in the character creation menu. I have never developed, like, a solid self-identity due to having BPD; which feels like just constantly changing my character and never hitting the finish button.

My childhood friend of 20 years was much smarter than I am. He graduated with a college degree and landed a high-paying job, bought a house, got married, all that. He invited me to go on a European vacation that I simply could not afford, that's when I realized I needed to walk away. It was clear he was heading in a direction I couldn't follow. Life isn't like it is in the movies.

He got to play games and enjoy life his own way. No shame in that.

Better way to look at it, he did a speed run through the game and completed it with 30% of the whole game done... The other one is doing all of the side quests and extras so he can get 100%