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Is social interaction actually enjoyable or just socially required? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 6 days ago by userreality@lemmy.zip to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I genuinely don’t understand how people see social interaction as something beautiful or natural. To me it feels like pure obligation.

Even at work you are not really yourself. You are adjusting how you speak, how you act, and how you respond just to fit the role, satisfy your employer, and keep things smooth with colleagues. That constant switching can be exhausting.

Outside of work it does not feel that different. Conversations, replying, small talk, making plans, it can all feel more like maintenance than real connection.

And yeah, I can agree that most people are not fully themselves in these situations. Everyone is performing to some extent depending on the setting. The difference is some people find it normal while others find it draining.

Sometimes it feels like people are not actually enjoying it as much as they say, they are just used to it being the default way to live.

Maybe I am missing something but I do not see the beautiful part everyone talks about.

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[–] rossman@lemmy.zip 3 points 5 days ago

People say there's certain vibes but I define that as an intersection of hobbies interests life stages culture religion politics family dynamics etc past experiences

The beautiful part to me are the parts that are most memorable, the rest are just a blur. Maybe like a house party you stayed up the whole night or where your group did an impromptu trip etc. or had a major detour where everyone was stressed beyond repair.

Rare but they stick out as memories. The rest feels like social obligations that build up to those moments. We're talking like 90:10 rarity. Also it factors in everyone's mental state. It's similar to how a team wins a game, the practice builds up to a moment.