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The dating ritual that social media undid
What happened to "getting those digits," Eminem's heartfelt letter to Afeni Shakur, and realtors share the madness they've seen.
Greg Sullivan
January 09, 2026 • Est. Reading Time: 8 minutes
“Art, art of any kind, shows that folks are trying.”
― Walter Kirn
In this issue...
Culture
Social media, shifting boundaries, and the fear of going viral have quietly killed one of dating’s oldest moves.
“How do you like them apples?*” Matt Damon’s character in Good Will Hunting scored a number on a napkin and a standing ovation from bros everywhere. But in 2026? That scene feels like a museum piece.
Young men today came up in a world saturated with social media, and it’s reshaped how they think about even the smallest interactions.
As Mark Wales reports, many men say public approaches now feel risky. Not just emotionally, but socially. A misread smile, a joke that doesn’t land, a moment caught on camera, and suddenly you’re the “creep” in someone’s viral TikTok.
Others say the shift comes from a more sincere place. After years of hearing women say that not every smile is an invitation, many men believe the respectful move now is to keep their distance.
So what does this mean for courtship today, and who’s supposed to make the first move now?
* - Do I long for the day when the interrobang is widely adopted‽ Yes, I do.
An image of Munich's Neuhauser Straße with St. Michael's Church on the left, taken nearly 190 years ago. I love this sort of time travel.
What's the right way to move from a chat to date?Because, come on, people still need to date. |
Previous Results
Yesterday, we shared tips for spotting people who are faking their smarts. We even shared some tips on shutting them down.
Who do GOOD readers dread getting stuck in a conversation with most? In our most popular poll ever, a neat 40% of readers dread the faux-expert on all topics.
The expert on everything. This isn’t a chat. It’s a lecture. (40.0%)
The contrarian. Brace yourself for an onslaught of “Um, actually…” (31.0%)
The actual expert. We get it, Brett. You’re a genius. Please don’t make me feel dumb. (7.0%)
It’s me. I’m that person, and I’ve made my peace with it. (6.0%)
Someone else (share your answers) (16.0%)
But write-in answers were uncharacteristically popular. GOOD reader Deirdre Fox had a great answer. “The “me” monster. They could care less about conversation just want to talk about themselves and their own self-importance.“ Ah, yes. Beware the Me Monster.
Culture
The realest thank-you note in hip-hop history resurfaced, and it still hits hard.
Before Eminem made the scene, he was just a kid getting by on Tupac Shakur tapes. Years after Shakur’s death, Em (Marshall Mathers) wrote a deeply personal note to Afeni Shakur, Tupac’s mother, spelling out just how much her son’s music had meant to him.
“I knew I could put that 'Tupac' tape in and suddenly, things weren't so bad...”
Included with the note was a bandana and a drawing of Shakur. Afeni was moved to tears, writing back to Em and thanking him for “staying loyal to the game.”
Humor | FROM THE VAULT
“And in this room… a man with no pants.”
When house hunting, you’re bound to find some quirks. Carpeted bathrooms. Windows that open into garages. A basement tiki bar that’s somehow also a laundry room. Run-of-the-mill weird. But the stories these realtors shared? We’ve officially crossed into haunted sitcom territory.
As Ryan Reed reports, realtors swapped their strangest “you can’t make this up” moments, from creepy symbols straight out of occult horror films to surprise sans-pants houseguests and one unforgettable break-in. The kind that makes you wonder if the open house needs an exorcist or just better lighting.
In the aftermath of World War II, determined to prevent a grim trilogy, nations drafted and ratified the United Nations Charter. The goals were to keep the peace, maintain smooth communication, and settle disputes before issues spiraled into another global conflagration.
The question then became where to put the headquarters for this ambitious new body. Considering the state the various member nations found themselves in after the war, the US quickly became the choice to house the headquarters, and a tract of land in New York donated by John D. Rockefeller Jr. settled the matter of the city, and on this day, January 9, 1951, the United Nations Headquarters officially opened.
In the years since its founding, the UN has helped keep global peace, spearheaded humanity's only successful campaign against diseases by leading the charge that eradicated smallpox, and coordinated efforts to remove chemicals from the air that have almost entirely restored the Ozone layer, showing what can happen when nations coordinate their efforts for a greater good.
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