Thank you for clarifying you didn’t intend to be patronizing. That said, I invite you to re-read the content of what you wrote:

Hey, OP. Welcome to your 30s. 🎉 New to the US, or just seeing it for the first time?

After OP just expressed emotional distress, you said “Welcome to your 30s”, which implies you think that has something to do with what they just said. “This feeling is part of being in your thirties, when you start to notice things are wrong in the world.” Not a stereotype I’ve heard before, but reading it as a straight welcome doesn’t make sense either because OP didn’t say “I just turned 30,” they said they’re 32. This isn’t a new age bracket for them.

That reading is bolstered by the next part. After OP is crashing out about the state of the world, you asked if they’re new to the US or just seeing it for the first time. The “or” implies these are the only two reasons why OP might be bringing this up. “Are you new here or did you just start paying attention?”

Even if you were going for a “Welcome to the club friend, things have been fucked up for a long time,” I don’t think it’s an effective comment because of the tone, and you’re assuming this is the first time they’ve thought about it, and that they don’t know that things have been bad before. That may be true, but sometimes people just want to vent. I understand it’s common to become jaded over time if only just for self protection, but it’s valuable to still be able to be outraged and to experience injustice fresh.

I appreciate you having good intentions. I think a sincere reading of the words can end up with the impression I shared.

For me I’ve been involved in an anti gerrymandering group, which definitely fulfills the “like-minded” category. But there’s still value just in connecting with people outside work even if it’s not ideological, so things like classes, hobbies, casual sports/exercise, anything that has regular meetings.

If you read the OP it doesn’t say anything about it being a new phenomenon. Even if that’s what this comment “accomplished” is it worth shitting on someone for sharing their emotions? It comes across as self congratulatory, like the commenter is above the OP because they’ve experienced negative circumstances for longer.

I feel overwhelmed a lot lately.

I think one of the causes for the situation in the U.S. is isolation. Both that the bad actors are too isolated from their fellow human, and that people of good will feel alone in facing rising assholedom.

It’s helped me to physically go to gatherings of people who are like minded. To be reminded that you’re not alone. We’ll never get everyone on our side, but I believe we can get enough.

What is the benefit of making a comment like this?