>>95994322That episode is exactly what I'm talking about. Dib is begging people to look at the paranormal but they're too dumb to see the truth and just call him a liar and make fun of him. Even the Swollen Eye people treat him like that, he's cursed.
And about his younger days, Zim wasn't the one and only paranormal 'thing'. The Invader Zim universe has ghosts, magic, other space aliens besides Urkins, secret societies, other dimensions, and lots of other oddities. Dib might seem like an annoying and alarmist conspiracy theorist to his classmates but in his world HE'S RIGHT, and the populace doesn't notice any of it even when it's right in their face. Plus is not like his classmates are saints, they're stupid(can't even see Zim for what he is) and annoying in their own ways if not outright malicious bullies.
Dib is annoying and obsessed but he isn't someone I'd call an asshole. He's trying to save the world from a populace who will never thank him or even notice the danger. Gaz is someone who I'd call an asshole, she's outright abusive and even makes toys that feed on human blood to keep Dib away even though he just wants some help to fight aliens.