When I was in my early 20’s, which was in the early 90’s, I remember very clearly that the girls (yes, almost exclusively girls/women) my age, that I hung around with had a horrifying lack of situational awareness. Sometimes, I felt it was almost as if they subconsciously felt had something to prove by talking to or associating with certain people that they did.
I’m about the same age, but because of the environment, didn’t see that phenomenon. I understand exactly what you are describing.