I have tried to be friends with guys, they like it at first then it makes them feel depressed which is the part I never understood.
It's simple. They like it at first because, like you were saying - these guys don't get a lot of attention from women, if any at all. So then you start talking to them - maybe even about their interests at that. And that's like, can this be real? A woman is, one - talking to them, and two - they actually have something in common? Of course they like it at first, and of course they get hopeful. And of course they get depressed when they start to realize that it's never going to happen because a woman with common interests with them, is probably something they've dreamed of their whole lives - especially when it seems like you see something in them, when no one else ever did. To them it must seem like you "like them for them", like society says is the way it's supposed to be. I imagine it is crushing when it turns out that way, and it confirms that any attention from women is too good to be true, and that they were right to be cynical and pessimistic about it.
My never section that im usually friends with can give me an ego boost by telling me how dumb my ex is and how any guy would be lucky to have me blah blah if they wish but thats as far as any of that would go.
See, this is
exactly what I'm afraid of unwittingly falling into, and
exactly what I want to avoid, because even though I'm (mostly) not crushing on the same women I was when I got to this site, there still aren't a lot of people I'm interested in getting to know, so every chance still counts and I can't afford to **** up my impression and get categorized as an orbiter, forever limited and held at a distance, just being used for an ego boost and not even considered a real, meaningful connection. I'd hate to be used as an orbiter. It would make me feel insulted, and like such a loser. I'd rather be nothing at all to someone than that, because I feel like being an orbiter is less than nothing. It's like...when you orbit a woman, she's looking down on you, looking at you with contempt - which makes me feel like to most women, being seen as weak/a loser/inferior, is worse than being seen as evil, because evil might still be strong and worthy of respect. But weakness isn't.
I hate all this survival of the fittest stuff, because it's like, being "right" for someone depends totally on random chance, being born as the right person, just like being born into nobility. I can't stand things that are predetermined by birth, cause it's like, your life is won or lost before you were even born, and there's absolutely nothing you can do to help yourself. You have to hope that you were lucky enough, and if you're not, you're just screwed and there's no hope. But I can't deny that it happens at least sometimes.
I kind of think if you told those guys to piss off, it might be the best thing for them. They'd get to be on their way to somewhere at least. And would you really miss them if they were gone? I'm guessing no. They're not going to get anywhere with you so they're wasting their time getting their hopes up for nothing. They should stop being orbiters and reclaim some pride.
I would say don't use these poor guys for an ego boost, because, even if you didn't mean it to be harmful, it is still using, and it is still harmful. If you need a pep talk, I'd say talk to your girl best friends instead - the people you see as equals. That way, everyone's on the same page, and no one's being used.
Again - sorry if that was harsh, but like I said this is something I worry about a lot to the point of not making moves at all cause I get so trapped in my own head, scared of making a wrong move and ruining things with someone I find interesting forever - what can I say that will be impressive or interesting enough to them? Or have I already acted in too unimpressive or boring of a way and I'm now forever relegated to the damn friend zone?
And I also really think keeping people as orbiters isn't good - for them, or for you. I think it's best if everyone goes where they belong.