Is saying "I don't like people" just another strange social trend these days?

[Overandunder89]

I ask this because many of the people whom I've heard say this seem to willfully and eagerly spend much of their free time in the presence of... you guessed it... people. It leaves me wondering if it's just fashionable by some twisted sense of what's "cool" to present oneself as a misanthrope these days.

[NathanDavis]

sometimes you don't have an option

I don't like sunshine, I don't like the sun at all...

but I have to live like an ordinary human, so...

[Overandunder89]

They're in mind that I'm not referring to those instances where the person has to go out to work or go grocery shopping. I'm talking about those activities that aren't essential and are done purely at the person's own volition. You absolutely have a choice in a situation like that.

[Overandunder89]

Bear in mind*

Sorry. I really need to proofread.

[NathanDavis]

I don't like people is a generalization... and in this case a valid one

when you really think about it... you cannot like all people because you don't even know them, so when you focus on those you know or interact with, most of them could be or bring negative emotions to you for whatever reason, and then yeah... you do not like that

as a generalization, it does happen... and then you have the exceptions

just like in general, I don't like hot spicy food and I avoid 90% of it right away... but I will make exceptions and there's few things here and there that I do like hot and spicy

[Overandunder89]

To say "I don't like people" does not generally convey a sense of neutrality because one simply does not know most people. The latter is a given for all of us because no one knows everyone, but not everyone walks around proclaiming to not like people. This is also a generalization, but one that I believe most people would agree with due to the connotations that surround the statement "I don't like...". It's more a statement of definitive judgment rather than a declaration of neutrality.

My next question would be if you truly are generally convinced that you don't like people for one reason or another, why would you ever even be open to make exceptions? It still seems that the statement in and of itself is just a loose declaration that people make without even fully understanding what they themselves like or dislike in many cases.

[NathanDavis]

because that is how generalizations work...

why exceptions? because we humans, and society too... are complex and complicated

we can't be reduced to simplification... and absolute Yes/absolute No is not possible, that's not how we work

generalizations are valid (in a way) when you try to simplify things, even if not accurate

[Overandunder89]

A generalization is a simplification though, is it not? Wouldn't it make more sense to just say "Some people really irritate me..."? To simply say, "I don't like people" naturally begs the question, "Well, what people are you talking about?" It sounds like you are grouping either most people or everyone together into one homogeneous, indistinguishable cluster when you state it that way. Of course many of the driving forces behind why we interpret things the way we do at times and the way we choose to react to them are not black and white, but it doesn't make sense to make such a broad sweeping generalization about most people. Some things are easy to disregard as general day to day expressions, but that one in particular is very difficult to not take literally.

[NathanDavis]

when people tell you "I don't like people"

that's one way to let you know they don't want to interact with you.. and then, you just take the hint, lol

[Overandunder89]

Well, that's the thing. It's not something that anyone has ever said to me directly. At least, not that I can recall. It's something that I hear people often say in passing about others in general. I'm just saying that I've never understood it because many of these same people seem so eager to spend almost every second of their free time in the presence of... people. 😂 It's as if they do it because of some arbitrary sense of an imaginary social obligation or pressure they feel to conform to a standard that they claim to dislike. It's just a very curious thing to me.

[NathanDavis]

you are making an assumption...

we all do things we do not like all the time... every single day

and we do it just because we need to do it

[Overandunder89]

No, it's just a theory. It's an alternate line of reasoning because no one seems to be able to explain how spending time with people you don't like outside of work or some other obligatory meeting is a "need". How is it a need?

[NathanDavis]

it is a need with and end

people need to eat... people who do not like people also need to eat

so they go among people and get the food they need to survive

[Overandunder89]

I understand.

[gorydetails]

Yeah, It’s one of the dumber takes to have. But it coincides with most people being miserable in our society

[Overandunder89]

What do you mean exactly?

[gorydetails]

It means that the people who claim “I don’t like people” are usually the most unhappy.

[Overandunder89]

Agreed.

[NaultD]

Homebody has been a thing for a century.