How do people even meet their other half in this broken world?

I work in a job where I am able to see so many couples and families and many aren't too far off of my age. I know you are practically expected to gave a partner by 26 and be married by 28 and have kids by 30 but I have only ever met one person who interested me and he moved on quickly after I missed his signals. I was like 16 and that was years ago. Now that I am adult, I struggle to even meet friends, let alone partners.

There are so many people out there and many even if well meaning have flaws and problems that don't make them marriage material. I assume you have to sift through 100s if not 1000s of people before you find a partner. People are also less open when they are adults, so you don't know what you are missing because maybe someone is hiding it. There are also the red flags. Someone can claim they love you but be abusive or use you (my worst fear) because they know you need/want to be with someone. Personally, I am at a stage of really wanting a partner but I also don't want to be someone's doormat. Finding the right partner seems like a real challenge and even of those "happily" married many just simply settled.

That's why I wonder how come so many people habe found life partners so quickly? In fact how come people in the past seemed to be married by 20-24?