I originally answered the question because I thought it would be interesting to get other perspectives on the concept. Many talk about being positive as if it’s something glaringly obvious. Doesn’t seem that way to me. Many of these so-called positive interactions create a barrier between people when they revert back to these robotic and dishonest behaviors.
I try to be efficient in my social interactions. It’s very common for people to say things that aren’t true because they want to be polite and think it will make someone feel better. If I already know that my personality will not mesh with someone, I’d rather give more attention to someone else. I’ve been working on having more tact and do not completely ignore people when they talk to me. This situation isn’t difficult to avoid since very few strangers approach me to start a conversation. Sorry if I didn’t answer all of your questions right now.
I really would rather someone not talk to me at all than say a few meaningless phrases out of obligation. I am not disrespectful to someone unless I say something disrespectful. Having a fake plastered smile, laughing at jokes that aren’t funny, and saying “It was great talking to you”, when you didn’t enjoy the conversation is what I’m referring to.
I would like to be more trusting of people. Until then, I don’t want to waste their time until I’m truly interested. I’m not saying everyone who tries to be polite is fake. From my experience, many automatically act like this out of obligation, even when they truly do not care about another person.
There are many things I like about myself and many things I want to improve. I do feel kind of disconnected from the society I live in because many people who are praised for their positivity are not the kind of people that I prefer to be around. They do not seem genuine. There are people who think you should smile all the time and be polite to everyone by saying certain phrases. I don’t think that is positive. You may have wasted someone’s time who thought you genuinely liked talking to them.
I see one friend once a week and another once a month. They have responsibilities and do not have the time. I have been to meetup groups in the past, but most people start with the stock questions.
Maybe the difference is that I mostly interact with workers at stores and they usually are told to socialize to create a pleasant environment. I don’t see my real friends in person very often. It can be frustrating meeting new people because often the conversations start with the stock questions that many people ask. Not everyone wants to talk about their job or their family.
I get to the point by sharing things that are relevant to the topic. It seemed you were suggesting I wasn’t sharing enough with my response. If that’s not the case then maybe I misinterpreted what you wrote.
I like to get to the point when I communicate. I did respond to the questions you asked. I’m not sure why it is important to share the subject I am studying.
This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Brian.
I live alone. Family is on the other side of the country. I have a close friend, but we see each other once a week at the most. Are you a moderator here?
I’m OK. Still haven’t made new connections with people. It has been difficult for me for a long time because I’m usually guarded around new people. I’m trying to keep my thinking out of fight/flight mode.
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