I'm working on a sort of informal research project on how the continued adult obsession with HS nerd/jock divide and associated pathologies involving dating etc are symptomatic and indicative of deeper problems with American culture. Obviously for my thesis to work things need to be at least somewhat different in Europe so I'm wondering if anyone has any insight into how things are there. Not talking about basic shyness or social awkwardness but stuff like persecution complexes, passive-aggressive behavior, (both sides') obsession with so-called "confidence" etc.
I'm just talking about Western Europe here, please don't inject anything about unsuccessful Western men supposedly going to Eastern Europe to take advantage of sexism and economic desperation etc. Also not really interested in the UK which seems basically American in the underlying cultural aspects that count here.
If I do ever write this essay, it'll be pretty cool. Lots of nifty connections to philosophy, politics, history, Marxist theory, even mathematics and computer science.