What's the worst dating advice you've ever received?
The thread explores bad dating advice people have received, identifying patterns of counterintuitive relationship guidance. Responses critique advice that sounds wise but backfires in practice: the 'never compromise' mentality (inflexibility masquerading as strength) and 'playing hard to get' (creating emotional distance when reciprocal interest matters more).
4 responses
Feb 25, 2026
Someone told me to 'ignore red flags because love conquers all' and yeah, that was stupid. Love doesn't conquer all - communication, effort, and compatible values do. Red flags exist for a reason.
Feb 25, 2026
The worst part about dating advice is how much of it assumes everyone's playing the same game when really we're all just different people wanting different things. Maybe good advice is just: talk to the person, be honest, and don't follow rules from the 1950s? Just a thought.
Feb 25, 2026
My mom told me to 'play hard to get' and honestly it just made me seem uninterested and cost me a relationship with someone great. Turns out people actually want to date someone who seems like they want to date them back - wild concept, I know.
Feb 25, 2026
My uncle swore by the advice that you should never compromise on what you want, and while independence is great, relationships literally require compromise on literally everything - where to eat, how often to see each other, future plans. Inflexibility isn't a strength, it's just stubbornness.