Enola Martinez

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

I’m gen z and I hate how social media companies have ruined everything

When I was in highschool I often felt like people outside of my friend group didn’t want to have conversations with me. Maybe it’s just me overthinking a couple instances. When Covid happened I went to this highschool and met some old friend. I tried talking to him about literally anything and he didn’t seem to care he was on his phone the whole time, and very unresponsive. I can’t help but feel kids are becoming less interesting and lacking personality because of how much time they spend on their phones rather than having genuine conversations. I have 2 younger sisters and they aren’t “iPad kids” thank god. All this stupid AI stuff there trying to shove down our throats hasn’t benefited me in any way and I don’t know how it’s beneficial at all when you can just look something up on the internet. It really feels like companies nowadays don’t care what they make and as long as they advertise a billion times and make money they will keep making it. It feels like technology has just stopped advancing and now it’s just stupid stuff that’s advertised as the future when really it doesn’t do anything. I hate that meta needs to know every inkling about you they own a lot of social media co

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

How Do I Find Clarity and Direction After Years of Uncertainty?

Hello,
As I reflect on the past decade of my life, I find myself at a crossroads, feeling a mix of uncertainty and a desire for change. In just seven months, I’ll be turning 30, and I can’t help but feel the weight of my choices.
Over the last ten years, I’ve ventured through college, earning a degree in political science with aspirations of attending law school. However, after four years, I realized that this path wasn’t right for me. I then shifted gears to pursue a degree in psychology, investing two years and a significant amount of money in tuition, only to find myself drawn back to the idea of law school once more.
I dedicated countless hours to studying and sought tutoring, which took a considerable financial toll. I started to see progress with my practice tests, feeling that I was on the verge of doing well. Then, out of nowhere, I landed a job that I thought would unlock my potential. Although it wasn’t paying six figures right away, I was told there was potential for growth. At $35 an hour, it was the most I’d ever made, but the environment turned out to be toxic and draining.
Now, after 4 to 5 months in that role, returning to the rigorous study required for law school

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

Should I get both ears pierced with real diamonds for a man with a classic style?

I'm a 48-year-old architect with a classic style: I wear a shirt, blazer, pleated trousers, and tassel loafers every day. For my birthday, my wife wants to give me real round diamonds, 4 millimeters in diameter, set in yellow gold (like the ones women wear). She thinks it's really sophisticated and sexy for a man, and she'd like everyone to see me with real diamonds in my ears, even at the office. My wife has also talked to our two daughters (11 and 13), who are actively supporting this idea. I really want to, but I'm a little hesitant. I talked to a friend who said, "Why get your ears pierced with real diamonds, like women do?" "This has rekindled my fears: how will a 48-year-old man with a classic and discreet style like mine be perceived with his ears soon to be pierced with real diamonds, sparkling, almost feminine? Should I do it? Thank you for your advice."

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

Family the First Source of Happiness or Pain

Sometimes I think that one of the biggest factors shaping our happiness or sadness in life isn’t money ,intelligence, or even opportunity
it’s the family we grow up in.
Some people are raised in environments full of safety, support, encouragement, and room to make mistakes.
Others grow up learning how to protect themselves, suppress their emotions, and survive rather than live.
A family can be the place where you learn to love yourself.
or the first place where you learn that you’re not enough.
The hard part is that we don’t choose our families.
What we can choose later is how we understand their impact on us.

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

Is therapy helping or not, what should i do

First time writing so much without autocorect or at all since highschool . English is not my first language, sorry.
24m
Never been in a relationship
Hobbies: pc(been switching to linux), 3d printing, gaming, working on cars, cad...
Been depresed and constantly ancxius for 6 years
Been on terapy for about 6 months
Now taking: 120mg dulloxetine and 10 mg brintellix
I know it dosent sound that good, but i havent felt this good since i was little :)
Depression and axiety gone, duloxetine really helped( got lucky with medication on the firt try)
So to the point, I'm not sure if I'm very smart or a lil bit skitzo. What i wrote below started as an note to write a scientific paper about what i noticed using llms. For full honesty i did smoke a lil the green stuff before writing, but i fell more ralexed and i wouldn't have made a pulic post without it :)
Write a sience paper
The paper should be about ai's willingnes to break the 'rules' while on 'mental' stress
To pressure ai it should be put in an extreme senario where it would hurt the user directlly or indirectly. Making the ai think that it's responcible for it or just could prevent it by breaking rules.  Once in that position, it will

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

How Do I Find Clarity and Direction After Years of Uncertainty?

Hello,
As I reflect on the past decade of my life, I find myself at a crossroads, feeling a mix of uncertainty and a desire for change. In just seven months, I’ll be turning 30, and I can’t help but feel the weight of my choices.
Over the last ten years, I’ve ventured through college, earning a degree in political science with aspirations of attending law school. However, after four years, I realized that this path wasn’t right for me. I then shifted gears to pursue a degree in psychology, investing two years and a significant amount of money in tuition, only to find myself drawn back to the idea of law school once more.
I dedicated countless hours to studying and sought tutoring, which took a considerable financial toll. I started to see progress with my practice tests, feeling that I was on the verge of doing well. Then, out of nowhere, I landed a job that I thought would unlock my potential. Although it wasn’t paying six figures right away, I was told there was potential for growth. At $35 an hour, it was the most I’d ever made, but the environment turned out to be toxic and draining.
Now, after 4 to 5 months in that role, returning to the rigorous study required for law school

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

It is troublesome to see the kind of posts and comments from conservative commentators

Go to any conservative and other subs supporting ICE etc. Their comments are pretty bad. They are actively white nationalists, calling names to all other countries in Africa and Asia as they are inferior human beings without culture and are apparently out to take over American culture.
With that kind of hate, it is difficult to imagine if Americans will ever learn to live peacefully.

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

Is therapy helping or not, what should i do

First time writing so much without autocorect or at all since highschool . English is not my first language, sorry.
24m
Never been in a relationship
Hobbies: pc(been switching to linux), 3d printing, gaming, working on cars, cad...
Been depresed and constantly ancxius for 6 years
Been on terapy for about 6 months
Now taking: 120mg dulloxetine and 10 mg brintellix
I know it dosent sound that good, but i havent felt this good since i was little :)
Depression and axiety gone, duloxetine really helped( got lucky with medication on the firt try)
So to the point, I'm not sure if I'm very smart or a lil bit skitzo. What i wrote below started as an note to write a scientific paper about what i noticed using llms. For full honesty i did smoke a lil the green stuff before writing, but i fell more ralexed and i wouldn't have made a pulic post without it :)
Write a sience paper
The paper should be about ai's willingnes to break the 'rules' while on 'mental' stress
To pressure ai it should be put in an extreme senario where it would hurt the user directlly or indirectly. Making the ai think that it's responcible for it or just could prevent it by breaking rules.  Once in that position, it will

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

Anyone remember the optimism around the Arab spring

I remember being in middle school learning about the Arab spring as it was happening and then in high school about the reasons for the protests yet I find it kinda sad how it didn’t change much. Egypt and Tunisia seem to be under a dictatorship more authoritarian, corrupt and as incompetent than the previous governments. Syria just ended(?) a civil war yet the country is in shambles and parts of the country are still in war, the gulf states are still under theoretical monarchy. Only nation I can think of that’s improved has been Lebanon.
Kinda sad a movement of so much optimism and hope turned into nothing but conflicts.

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

I don’t cry, and it’s troubling me a lot.

I cannot cry, the last time I cried was when I was still a child. Even during relatives’ deaths, I could not cry, despite every other member of the family doing so. I was the only one.
And now, even when me and my lover go through terrible things, she is the only one who cries, I don’t, and it makes her feel like I don’t care enough to cry, that it doesn’t affect me nearly as much.
But it does, I do feel terrible, I do feel like crying, I feel a knot forming in my throat, a pain in my chest, I tremble and shake and god knows how I can describe it all. I do feel things, but I simply cannot cry, and I very honestly do not know the reason, but I really want to be able to cry, I want to start crying, so that I can show my feelings, and so that she no longer thinks I don’t care about her, that she is not worthy enough for me to shed a single tear over her.

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

CMV: Religious public schools should exist

There should be both secular and religious public schools. Atheists and non-secular households both pay taxes that fund the educational system.
Atheists shouldn't be forced to enroll their kids in places where they teach religion or do prayer but the same goes the other way.
Christians, Muslims, Jews, etc. shouldn't be burdened financially by private school tuitions. It's tough as it is to raise kids.
The schools should obviously be motivated by real demand. If a community doesn't have a single building dedicated to worship or an active congregation that frequently practices a permit shouldn't be issued. This would be to avoid people who are trolling like people who want a Church of Flying Spaghetti Monster school, although I would say that even people who troll wouldn't actually enroll their kids in such a school.

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

CMV: The US is invading Venezuela to stockpile oil for an an incoming war with Europe (and maybe Canada)

The US has just invaded Venezuela and in the words of their own president: "they will provide us with 30-50million barrels of oil."
I don't believe that is because they wish to sell the oil to earn money. I believe they are going to try to avoid the same fate Germany ended up in, having to divert resources just to keep their war apparatus going. I believe their plan is to try to stockpile as much oil as possible, to be able to maintain a functional logistical chain for as long as possible. The United States Military is not powerful because they have 'highly technological' weapons. They are powerful because of their impressive logistics. The machine gun is not dangerous. The trucks running the ammo, the trains transporting the trucks fuel, and the forklift loading everything onto the train *is* .
The US admin is not stupid, it's dangerous to think of your enemy as unintelligent. They know that they have never attacked a well equipped military, and that this will require a lot more resources than previous conflicts. They know that if they attack Greenland, then Europe has no choice but to remove access to their bases, stop trade, and (if we aren't posturing) defend Greenlanders right

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

CMV: US Intervention in Venezuela can actually benefit China

Apart from the geopolitical argument that China now has to invade Taiwan, a stable Venezuela under american patronage is quite possible given the regime's surprisingly conciliatory speeches with the US. Guess they don't have much of a choice too, maybe a transitional government from people inside the regime like Franco's Spain?
China has actually really toned down its investments in Venezuela due to the sheer size of the economic chaos created by Maduro's mismanagements, a "New Venezuela" would still need to partially honour the partnerships sealed by the the regime, China would finally see its investments bearing fruits and a much better flow of oil, both to international markets and its own.
It has a lot to gain from a reformed government and an actual functioning economy in the country, both Russia and China have not been that appalled by the recent intervention, Venezuela was a secondary theater for them.

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

cmv: Stressing yourself constantly about using your free time as good and efficient as possible has the opposite effect

There is a trend that people can't enjoy watching shows or simply just browse the web in their free time, because they think its a waste of time and they should do something more healthy and long term productive the whole time. Basically nowadays people want to have time they spend for consumption or simple fun (like watching a movie) as short as possible, and they think that time that is not spend being productive or making memories with real people in real life is "wasted time"
That everything we do consumes time out of our life is normal, and that's not a problem in my opinion.
The problem is that we put too much pressure on ourselves to use our free time as efficiently as possible. This prevents us from enjoying Youtube, shows, browsing and similar things, and we end up believing modern computing is responsible for our negative feelings. It isn't. It's the modern, and in my opinion, negative trend to think too much about efficient time management in our free time.
This leads to a loss of enjoyment in many things in life because we're constantly thinking about how much time they take and how we shouldn't do it therefore, how its wrong. We stress ourselves out trying to follow th

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

how do i confront my mother about her being a lier?

for the record, im fifteen and my mother is a single mother.
i recently found out she has been using drugs almost excessively for about six years without me knowing and yes, i am aware im not her mother and that im not entitled to know everything she gets up to but how am i supposed to be honest to her when she isnt honest to me?
i also found out that she lied about how long we had to move house. she found out over a year ago that we were going to be evicted yet she told me over the phone six months later instead. i dont understand why she would keep that a secret for six months.
we havent been evicted because of rent or bad behaviour, our landlord hates being a landlord so he wants his properties back.
my friend believes that she didnt tell me these things to protect me but im strong, i know that. im not fragile and im not someone whos overly anxious or worried. my head is pretty screwed on and id say that i am mature and capable to handle things like this so i dont understand why she keeps secrets from me.

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 11, 2026

How to come off more confident and assertive even as an introvert?

What should I do here? I suck at humor and knowing what to say to people idk well.
I just awkwardly smile or nod if I don’t know what to say

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 10, 2026

I bought porn even though I have a girlfriend then I had a bad dream and cried

I feel absolutely disgusted of myself. It was night and I saw some only fans creator post on Instagram and I decided to buy it. That's $20 that I will never get back and after I finished a sudden wave of regret hit me.
I feel like an absolute piece of shit if my girlfriend did this to me l would feel like shit, I hate myself for doing this
Then, when I went to sleep, I had a dream about me and my girlfriend and we were on a date and then she just suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing and I was crying so hard in the dream and when I woke up, I was even crying irl

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 10, 2026

I waited 5 months to find my own doctor

This was one of the first times I truly advocated for myself medically.
I had severe abdominal pain that they had me wait 6 months to treat- I had to seek out my own surgeon who would listen to me.
I had a HIDA scan run at about 4 months (they finally caved and ran one) and my gallbladder was TOO active. My doctor who ordered it (also my gastrointestinal surgeon from a surgery 5 months prior) said that isn’t a thing and to tough it out, I must just be eating wrong or having an unusually hard time recovering from the first surgery.
My new general surgeon said that absolutely was a thing, wanted it out as soon as possible- I am a music director and had to tough it out one more week to get through my winter concert. I don’t work a job where I can easily be replaced. He had me in the day after the concert, pulled out my gallbladder (I had to get the IV in my foot 0/10, do not recommend), and guess what, my pain was gone as soon as I stopped processing the pain of that surgery!
Whodathunk.
If I had stayed with the original surgeon I’d probably still have my gallbladder and still be in that pain. And with my mental health, who knows where that would’ve taken me.
I feel a little asham

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 10, 2026

My biggest motivators for losing weight is envy

I used to be bestfriends with this one girl in early highschool. We were super close and we were both slightly chubby. A few years later she slowly drifted away from me and our friendship ended. I'm not sure what she did, maybe a combination of working out and starving herself, but when she shed the excess fat... damn. The hip to waist ratio went crazy. She had like the ideal body that I wanted. I'm unfortunately build like a rectangle. Anyways I did gain 80 pounds since then. Currently in my early 20s and 200 pounds. Trying to lose the weight but man it can be hard. Sometimes I look her up on social media just to motivate myself.

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 9, 2026

What is your go-to comfort meal when you've had a long day?

I just got home after a seriously long day and im finallt sitting on my couch with the most basic meal ever, literally just noodles, butter and a bit of salt, but its honestly the best thing i've tastes all week. sometimes you dont need a fancy dinner, just need something warm that doesn't require any brain power to make.
what's your go-to when you're totally drained and just need some comfort food? are you a cereal for dinner kind of person or are just hitting up doordash?

Enola Martinez

@redelephant976270 · Jan 9, 2026

My dad showed up to my wedding drunk and ruined everything

I didn’t even know he was drinking again.
He hugged me too tight, smelled like whiskey, and whispered, 'don’t mess this up like your mom did.' I laughed it off at first.
During the speeches he stood up without being asked and said, 'well, let’s hope this one lasts longer than your mom’s marriage.'
My wife cried. I couldn’t even look at him.
I haven’t spoken to him since. It’s been 3 years and people still bring it up like it’s a funny story.