Are you interested in people?

This is the thought that came to my cough-addled brain on the train ride home. Do you have a sincere and general interest in people? Maybe you enjoy engaging strangers/acquaintances in conversation, hearing about their lives, just getting to know them, making plans to see them again, etc. Maybe you're shy or social but I'm curious about those of you who, in your own way, do take such an interest and why?

The thought came to me when a woman sat next to me with her large suitcase (she had gotten on at stop where the Amtrak & bus station is located) and she asked how I was, to which I pleasantly responded, "wonderful." That was my intended end of the conversation. That's more than is expected on mass transit anyhow. After a couple of beats I broke down and asked if she had had a long trip. Apparently her plans were frustrated by a rogue bus driver so she decided to cancel her plans and go back home rather than arrive at her destination much later. It was a pleasant little conversation.

I think it would be great fun to be like Elwood P. Dowd (in every sense of the name) but while not anti-social, I'm content to not engage with many people, even when I may benefit from it socially or professionally (if I hear the word "networking" one more time....) or maybe I would just find them interesting (or maybe I do find them interesting). And it's not for a lack of esteem that I'm satisfied to spend a plane or train ride without saying more than a couple words to the person next to me. And for those of you are less people-centric, do you wish you wish you did take more of an interest in people? I'm not saying wave to each person in the grocery aisle (though that would be amusing) but striking up more conversations...not because you want a new friend, business contact, or lover but just because.

Again: cough-addled brain.

I'm not sure I'm totally interested in people, per se...

First, a little lot of background.

I was homeschooled, and this, inevitably led to my social life consisting of my younger brother, my dog, my parents, and their adult friends almost exclusively.

Spending so much time around adults meant that I matured (in a sense) faster than most people, which meant that I didn't sometimes connect with kids my age (music tastes were different, wanted to do different things, wasn't all that rambunctious and whatnot). I did have a few friends my age due to a homeschooling group, but they came and went, and I don't know any of the kids I met anymore.

Once my parents forced me into junior college at 17, I met a few people in my classes, and eventually met someone who pulled me into the big group of "the popular kids" (because junior college is really just an extension of high school) and I had more friends than I knew what to do with, I met girls and had girlfriends and normalized socially. Eventually, the group began to fragment, as all large groups do, and I ended up with a core group of really good friends, who I remain close to today.

Going to real college since 21 has been interesting, because the atmosphere here is entirely different, and more productive, than junior college, and the people are generally more "adult" and are intelligent and doing their own thing and living life, which is refreshing. I wouldn't trade my junior college experience for anything, but it's nice to be around grownups. Making friends has been a little slower because it's still a fairly new situation, but it's picking up.

As for how my early schooling situation defined me, I don't think it had a big negative effect or that it stunted me socially, in fact, I feel lucky, because I have never been bad with people; I feel like I was born talented in my personal interactions, and can always make conversation in any situation. I can certainly understand that people could have the same experience and be completely socially destroyed because of it; as good as I am with people, I'm certainly no big extrovert and can be shy to first interact with people initially (after initial contact, though, it's easy). I find the best cure for my tendencies towards introversion are forcing myself to socialize and participate in conversations and meet people (being part of clubs and whatnot at school help a lot in this regard).

At the same time, though, I don't really need people around me so much. Because I grew up so used to making my own fun most of the time, I find that I don't need (or want) to be surrounded by people very often. I do get lonely sometimes (especially when I'm stuck on this campus as I don't have a car and most of the people I know take the shuttle here from another campus), but generally that's related to a lack of female company. This can be a boon (in that I can be fairly autonomous and not need personal interaction all the time), but it has drawbacks (in that, if I don't remind myself to do it, it can be hard to maintain relationships with people because I just don't even think about it, honestly).

So, to this end, I'm not sure if I'm interested in people for more than selfish reasons; I don't think I've ever talked to someone just to be talking to someone because they seemed interesting... but at the same time, I've never turned down a conversation from someone I knew I'd never talk to again. This isn't to say that I'm cold or uncaring, because a truly am interested in my friends and their well-being and life and interests; as separate people and not how they benefit me. But I don't generally go out of my way to talk to people just to be talking to someone.

This is interesting, I'll have to analyze my interactions with people more over the next week so I can see what my motives are.

I hate people. Really.

I don't like sand people.

msycamore said:

I don't like sand people.

Wow! OT and PT humor mixed together!

That's really cool.

Bingowings said:

And racist.

Hey, look, I'm not the one talking about my sister's quiche!

TV's Frink said:

If people were more like me, they'd be more tolerable.

If everyone was like you, the ridiculousness would destroy the universe.

TheBoost said:

I really enjoy people... singular, usually.

Sluggo?

Weird to find an internet forum about Star Wars restoration populated mainly by introverts who dislike socializing.

I love people, I get really lonely when I don't socialise with them.