Widen the net.

Yes I can SCIENCE is the key to the truth, Follow science with the intellectual side of your brain and never will you steered incorrectly.

Be patient. It will happen when it happens. Just be sure you are in the right place emotionally to appreciate it when it does. Right now you should spend your time really getting to know yourself and what is really important to you, so that you know what you're looking for. Although it's not everything, compatibility is very, very important, in things big and small. One thing I've learned with age is that the "shopping list" way of looking for a partner has a lot of merit. And once you find someone, don't rush into anything....wait until the honeymoon period of infatuation is over....get to know the real person, and let them know the real you.

I think it's an unfortunate time to be seeking anyone. Our society has let its self become the biggest pawn in the largest game of divide and conquer ever known. My cousins in Europe ask me why do your citizens let yourselves be played with like that?
The media is only a tool that being used to divide people and make everything seem to have a right or left. We all (hopefully, logically) know thats not the case but everyday we are conditioned to think so. The right brings a lot of fear into the narrative and that grabs a lot of people and really instills the thinking that everyone is either wrong or out to get you at every turn.
We all need to be part of a solution to take control of our lives back.
You are a very nice looking young man. My advice being a late 50's woman is to try to get to know people as friends by talking about all the other things you might be interested in. If you find that people can't get on board with that they are actually doing you a favor. Life has to be more about what brings you joy than what either makes you afraid or angry or both. Depending on your interests maybe take some classes or join a group of some sort. If you are really passionate about politics join a campaign you believe in, you will find like minded people that way. Don't be a in a hurry and don't feel that you need to settle, but relationships are a huge compromise no matter how many things you have in common. Try not to be too put off and try to bring sanity into your conversations in a respectful way. "Vaccines cause Autism you know" ask more questions, if someone states a right or left bias ask questions. People who really want to learn something will respond with answers you can respond to. Some people think out loud and really aren't 100% invested in what they say but are more just repeating something they haven't given a whole lot of thought to.
Smoking, you didn't say what you smoke so I'm assuming it's cigarettes. The jury is in about cigarettes, they have no redeeming value accept addiction and illness, but you know that. It isn't pleasant to kiss a smoker if you are not a smoker and even if you do smoke sometimes it's still not pleasant. Quitting is difficult, I get that and did it many times before it stuck but now I can't imagine ever smoking again the way that you can't imagine never smoking again.
I know this is long but your post struck a sympathies nerve with me because I often imagine how difficult it must be to be young today compared to when I was your age in the 80's good luck to you!

Dude, CHILL the fuck out!!!
There's no need to be in a hurry. Especially when it comes to finding someone. If you're
like most people, you're going to have relationships with multiple people during the course of your life. You meet them when you meet them. When you're actively looking, and in a hurry to accomplish whatever, mistakes can be made. Be careful. Take a breath. Figure out what is important to you. Learning to enjoy your own company takes off a lot of the pressure to "couple-up" It also makes it easier to figure out when you've actually met someone worth spending your time with. It's more important to figure out what your own motivations are, and what you don't want.
When you're younger, it's almost like a feeding-frenzy when you first get out on your own. There's so much to do, and adjust to. It can be borderline sensory-overload. I wish you well, and good fortune, in your quests. Just remember to breathe.

What it is mate is most people are fake and believe a load of crap and on top of that you need to fancy each other. don't go looking as you might seem desperate. you will click with someone or not. trust me you can be more unhappy with the wrong person and more lonely than single. choose wisely.

As a conservative atheist I have found much of the same things. Politics are a very polarizing topic, most atheist are either hard left or lean left .(maybe they know something we don't) as for finding a date get offline . My experience has shown standard go way up the more options that are available. Also try to get to know someone without talking about politics or religion you might make a friend instead of an opponent. Look for the things you have in common instead of the things that are different.

Don't be in a hurry, you'll get there. I agree that your opening line may be a bit off-putting, but you'll weed out the ladies that can't handle your type of debate/conversation. If you smoke cigarettes, you should quit that shit. It's bad for your health and too many people are either quitters themselves and don't want to be around it to avoid temptation, or are non-smokers and don't like it to begin with. If you don't smoke cigarettes, mention that somewhere and maybe don't have the cigar pic as your main one, lol. Plus the cigar and stout pic makes you look like a bit of a douche. JS. You look cute in it (which one is you? both men are in the pic are good looking), but it's a bit pretentious.

I second dating older women. If you're not looking to have your own kids, ladies in their 30s tend to have their head on a little straighter and many I know would have no problem with cynicism. (you seem a tad cynical)

It is because you are looking for people online. You can never truly know a person online, all you are going to get are bits and pieces and opinions. It's easy to polarize online, focus on a single thing about someone.

The only way tobacco companies can afford to continually market their death products to the new and younger smokers (kids) they need to replace all the customers they lose to death (kill off) each year with their product is through the support of everyone who pays them.
Smoking is not a victimless crime. Smokers perpetuate the cycle of putridness, cancer and slow painful death by giving their money to RJ Reynolds.

I will never date a smoker. They are morally unfit.

I don't have any advice on dating. However, it's interesting you get accused of being a Trump supporter for not being "a hard left liberal.". I suppose I could be classified as "a hard left liberal" and I have been accused of being a Trump supporter for complaining about the Democratic Party.. You don't like the DNC? You must be a Trump supporter. "There are only two sides and you're either with us or with them" mentality.

As a youth who also is going through this I would also love some advise. I have always wondered if it was just me that’s weird or if I’m just #woke lol /s

First, if you read it on the internet it has to be true, ask anyone.
Age may be a factor, you may be out of synch with most your age? It will change in time, your circle of contacts will expand. If you are more mature than your peers, hang with older people. Out of curiosity, I wonder how many people in your age group are in this site? Every human has flaws don't sweat it. Maybe don't do all the searching, become a little more visible, let people find you, get involved in groups/causes that interest you, then stay alert for signs that someone may be interested. I have seen some of your comments, more mature than most you age. DO what I did, ha, I went for the older ladies. Bad Rugglesby.