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submitted 2 days ago by userreality@lemmy.zip to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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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[-] jtrek@startrek.website 6 points 1 day ago

I enjoy many social interactions.

Went to a concert this weekend. Chatted with the person running the merch table. Briefly chatted with a rando at the bar. Was nice.

Went to a party this weekend. Had a nice chat with some people I'd met before. Maybe came on kind of strong to the socialists in one conversation, but it was fun.

Lemmy probably isn't going to get you a representative sample of people.

this post was submitted on 01 Jun 2026
81 points (100.0% liked)

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