Red Pill

Not gonna lie, my heart's been broken a few times. I’m no saint. I’ve intentionally deployed my fair share of nukes on innocent Hiroshimas. With all of life has taught me, and as I witness what my friends and family have been through, and are going through, I don’t see myself ever taking the traditional route of jumping the broom.

I’m a proud godfather to my friend’s daughter. Have a handful nieces and nephews to lean on when I’m itching to fill the void of parenting. After our play dates, I express a deep sigh of relief. Although I know nothing can replace the authenticity of having my own kids, my only fear with going at it alone is not having any successors. To hedge against this, I’m "considering" adoption. Specifically adoption at birth.

Currently in a relationship. We’re just passing WFH time tbh. There’s no foreseeable future on the horizon, she knows that. I can't stay in Denver once NY is back to full capacity. Plus I am devoted to my career. 

Any other genuine lone wolves out there? Anybody feel like they’re in the same boat? Considering adoption? Or will dogs suffice? I’m thinking Husky, Great Dane x Dalmatian mix, or German Sheppard. All three is not off the table. 

Is there something wrong with living life solo? How come everyone looks forward to being a husband but not a sugar daddy? 

60 Comments
 

Have y’all dated consistently since Highschool? I’ve been dating my girlfriend since freshmen year of HS and I just haven’t seen anyone really do the same in IB. How has it worked out? Why do you think theirs no foreseeable future? The distance? Or the time needed at work?

 

Life has many paths.  Just because it seems like the majority of folks choose one way, doesn't null and void your own personal choices and feelings.

The key thing is don't do what others think/expect you to do just for the sake of "pleasing" them or "fitting" in.  Having a family, whether traditional ala 2 parents or some other variation is a massive life-long commitment. No matter what anyone tells you, you don't stop being a parent when the kid turns 18 or 21.

I thought I wanted kids, in part it was something instilled in me in a variety of ways, via family members, friends and society.  The more I thought about it and the more I saw as I went through my late teens, 20s and 30s, not having my own kids suits me.  I have children in my life, 2 god-children and currently 10 nieces, nephews and grand-nieces/grand-nephews with another grand-something due in early 2021.  And I'm still young enough to foster or adopt if my maternal instincts kick in uber-late.

 

Yeah, sometimes I get caught up in my friends' perfect Instagram families until I'm reminded that they argue just about everyday, sacrifice way too much, cheat periodically, and consider calling it quits at least twice a year. I am fine with dwelling in a few puppy-love phases,  being head over heels, and bestowing bubbly energy but realistically, stonks don't only go up. But I still indulge, right up to the point where the flame loses it spark. It's a fair exchange, we had our fun, its run its course, let's raise the white flag and be on our way. 

 

  I think you need a cat maybe  not a dog. A dogs gonna be too clingy and needy for you. 

 

Personally, I don't think of marriage as something based on exchange value, while other kinds of relationships with women usually are anchored in it. Date for the weekend? Gives the girl a chance to show off her dress and the man to look cool in front of his friends. "Sugardaddy"? Young girl gets money while the man gets someone to pretend like they actually care for a while.

With divorce representing a higher proportion of marriage outcomes and changing social dynamics, I do find myself considering more practical valuables to exchange in a marriage. But, in an ideal world, marriage would still feel like the idea in the mid 1900s, where it's all romance and love.

I'm still holding onto the idea even though I don't have a ton of faith there are a lot of others out there with similar views, but I know for sure I cannot live having purely exchange based relationships. I AINT NO SIMP

 

Yup. The playing field today is definitely different than the 1900-1950s mate. I have lost faith in the idea of a traditional marriage.  

 

Thinking divorce rates are increasing is a common misconception. They peaked in the late 70s/80s and continue to decline. 
 

Overall marriage rate however is also declining. So you have fewer people getting married per capita and fewer people getting divorced per capita; the former trend may give the impression that divorce rates are rising but that’s not the case, just fewer marriages overall. 

 
Most Helpful

PeterMBA2018

Thinking divorce rates are increasing is a common misconception. They peaked in the late 70s/80s and continue to decline. 
 

Overall marriage rate however is also declining. So you have fewer people getting married per capita and fewer people getting divorced per capita; the former trend may give the impression that divorce rates are rising but that’s not the case, just fewer marriages overall. 

I don't think divorce rates are rising, however I do think divorces play a more substantial role in marriage and so do things like pay gap closes and equality. Like, dating still has a ton of traditional undertones that lead into a marriage that is "progressive" then the progressive social norm of divorce leads into traditional role of government in divorces, creating wild distortions to our general perception of marriage. It's a shitty deal for men, while a sweet one for women. Government and divorce lawyers need to leave marriages alone. As men's incomes cede to more closely align with women's, women's voices become more prominent, and our individual activities land on more equal footing between men and women (sexual liberation and such for women), it doesn't make sense to continue to play the traditional roles in courts or in courting. Marriage should just be left up to a personal choice and not promoted as a cash grab for women and a gentlemanly sacrifice to men.

 

Playing the field is definitely lonely sport, sometimes you catch a good one who takes your breath away for 2-3mo before giving her back to the market. I'm beginning to accept that I'll be alone forever. I've seen so much shit in warfare that I'm traumatized and have PTSD. Don't think I'll ever recover. 

 

At 21, I'd guess I'm a little younger then you and sometimes I feel that way too. I'd like to get married and have a family. However, I feel like my career will get in the way of any serious relationship. Almost every person I look to, who's doing what I want and at the level I want, is divorced (sometimes more then once). I'd really like to meet someone in college and end up together, I'm not a simp, just saying it would be nice to find a great girl early on and build a life together but that's the expectation and not the rule. Like my uncle was a successful business man, and waited until his forties before marrying a 25 year old women, whom he is has 4 kids with. Even after losing the business their still together, coming up on 15 years. Maybe something like that'll happen for you, you never know. I hate the thought of being 50 and unmarried but it might be reality, on the other hand if you play the field enough you could find someone...after all everybody loves somebody sometime. 

 

Maybe not in the West but in other parts of the world it's weird if your not married/in a serious relationship by 30. I'd like to at least be getting ready for a marriage in that age range - kids can wait till mid 30's. I feel like l'll be a better father once I have myself set up nice, had some life experience. Also seriously thinking about heading to the military for a few years before pursuing finance, so if I go down that road it'll throw a wrench in my current plans for sure. 

 

My home country, where my family comes from, used to be like that until maybe 20 years ago. My mom was perhaps the last generation to think getting married before turning 30 is a good thing.

As for the military part, I think it's a good place to be if you don't know what you want to do with your life but want to learn some good skills and discipline. My mentor did it but he recommends that people not do it if they already have an idea where they want their life to go.

 

I feel you. I have the personality where I can see myself getting very annoyed at anything my SO does (single right now) and that honestly terrifies me.

 

There's nothing wrong with living solo if that's what you really want. That being said, if love/a genuine connection is what you're really after then it's worth trying for. I personally know family friends who started families really late in their lives and others even who said they were gonna be single forever get married and have kids at 50+. Life can be random, don't give up on love so easily

To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.
 

i've seen quite number of men with successful career enjoy their single lives. Living alone gives you that freedom, of course, but it also brings with it the ability to be actively independent.  Living alone gives you the opportunity to explore your true self and develop a sense of being comfortable in your own skin.

 

Adoption at birth might ease up on some of the nurture shit but intelligence and mental illness are very, very attributable to nature.
Read up on how bipolar, schizophrenia, personality disorders and addiction or impulse control issues tend to run in families. Then have a think about what proportion of the moms giving kids up are smart upstanding gals of sound mind with great foresight and decision making abilities. Yea I bet a lot of the top quality talent from your target undergrad were popping out babies to help out all of the hopeful adoptive parents right?

 

this is not "Red Pill"

Red Pill would be you deciding to go out and meet/ date / have sex with lots of girls simultaenously...settting up a rotation of "girlfriends" where you don't pay for dates / sex.  You become a "high value man" where girls are so into you that THEY BUY YOU DRINKS.....THEY BUY YOU DINNER AND GIFTS....because THEY are desperate to have sex with YOU. 

THAT is "Red Pill"

 

Excepturi ipsam inventore ea vero. Dicta commodi voluptatum eaque et pariatur. Laborum est sit reiciendis facilis ipsa sint similique. Deleniti tempore deserunt nihil et magnam tenetur molestias.

Incidunt eligendi recusandae molestias deserunt. Voluptatibus perferendis doloremque a enim voluptas sed aut. Nesciunt fugiat rerum accusamus esse inventore velit omnis. Tempore quia assumenda quis omnis aspernatur odit. Vel eius ullam velit molestiae voluptate commodi laudantium quidem.

Nostrum sequi amet iusto. Ducimus veritatis molestiae accusantium ut enim. Explicabo aliquid ab aut placeat. Libero sed veniam quo cupiditate voluptatibus. Aut dolore ratione ea aperiam debitis.

Eum rem ut non sit. Autem ducimus temporibus eius est facilis in. Iusto assumenda culpa et quia assumenda quo. Possimus deleniti rerum consequatur molestiae impedit fugiat dolore. Excepturi dolorem aut rerum fugit quaerat aliquam.

 

Rerum laboriosam laboriosam ipsam. Quia sed autem magni alias. Consectetur sed sit ea corporis.

Aut voluptatum eos ipsum deserunt nihil non aut velit. Impedit maiores facere repudiandae ratione. Dolorum beatae voluptate aspernatur hic et dignissimos pariatur distinctio.

Et et doloremque voluptas alias saepe accusamus expedita. Nemo ad odio magnam similique. Repellendus in fuga adipisci quia quod expedita.

Aut dolores accusamus ut magnam. Dolorum ut iure consequatur aut.

 

Unde officiis reprehenderit voluptatem velit aspernatur enim laborum cumque. Fuga ut rerum architecto sed officia. Est nihil dicta nihil ut architecto dolor ratione. Sunt eum placeat porro et quibusdam. Magni voluptatem rerum id eum rem.

Dolorem tempore sed voluptas saepe saepe. Deserunt consequatur mollitia similique atque harum. Cum quidem dolores dolores sit magni. Odit sunt quia eum quo similique. Corporis temporibus et ducimus consequatur esse.

Eligendi voluptates quod quaerat ex pariatur aspernatur. Nisi dolorum ducimus quasi. Dolorem excepturi sed veritatis distinctio ex nemo.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan No 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (45) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”