Socializing: An Unavoidable Difficulty
Apr. 26th, 2025 06:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unspeakablehorrorI tend to have a lot of reluctance to interact with other people because the nature of socialization is that the only way to reasonably practice it is by actually socializing with actual real people. There just isn't a reasonable substitute to that. Which means whenever you mess up, you mess up in real life! Also, while there may be many different choices you can make, it sometimes feels like there are no good ones.
But also, socializing is not really a very optional activity. We may have some choices of how and when and who we socialize with, but not so much if we socialize at all. Or at least, the consequences of not socializing at all tend to be pretty steep, and so most choose to avoid those consequences if they can, despite the many hazards of socializing. Certainly I've decided that being a full-time hermit is simply not a realistic option for me.
But also, I think making connections is worth it. Those connections can be difficult, they can be painful, and they can be transient, sometimes incredibly so. But they're also what made me who I am today.
But also, socializing is not really a very optional activity. We may have some choices of how and when and who we socialize with, but not so much if we socialize at all. Or at least, the consequences of not socializing at all tend to be pretty steep, and so most choose to avoid those consequences if they can, despite the many hazards of socializing. Certainly I've decided that being a full-time hermit is simply not a realistic option for me.
But also, I think making connections is worth it. Those connections can be difficult, they can be painful, and they can be transient, sometimes incredibly so. But they're also what made me who I am today.