Why are people so Anti-Social these days?

[PalmerTheThing]

Coming from someone who strongly believes that if you confront life with confidence and pride for good ambitions then life will bring you ever-lasting good.

I find that people even back five or six years ago were a lot more social. For example, you could go to people in Starbucks and on the streets at events or even small dine-ins and talk to literally just about anyone as long as you approached with respect, and now it's just not the same.

Less people are out on weekends I find (could be due to the economy), people are spending a lot more time on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchap, Instagram, and all that other stuff and are losing that confidence people had when you were approached from a stranger or another co-worker a couple of years ago.

What's up SHH? Do any of you guys notice this growing trend lately?

 

[KalMart]

Because we communicate/interact electronically so much more. More talking, less 'connecting'. Next question.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I don't think people were ever particularly social, but I do agree that it seems to have gotten worse.

The technology has a lot to do with it. Headphones, tablets, smart phones, handhelds, etc.

 

[Hobgoblin]

To be honest, I've always been a shut in, so no, I haven't noticed. Personally I find strangers starting unsolicited conversations to be incredibly irritating.

 

[Feenix]

Cell phones. They're convenient, but I prefer the days of simple flip phones. I hate how everyone is always so glued to their phones.

One day you'll look up and realize your kids put you in a nursing home.

 

[Anita18]

I can still start conversations with strangers, and I consider myself socially awkward and introverted. I hide my awkwardness by being harmlessly goofy, and I actually think that makes people relax.

I'm also a petite Asian woman who smiles a lot. t:

But I've always been an introverted hermit, so I don't know if "more" people are becoming shut-ins like me. Or maybe people are just more comfortable with being introverted. Having a smartphone wouldn't suddenly make an extrovert into an introverted hermit. I think that's just silly. I've been introverted as long as I can remember, and my sister has had an iPhone pretty much ever since they came out, and is still an extroverted social butterfly.

 

[charl_huntress]

I think part of it is people are overwhelmed by all the ways to communicate. You have email, text messages, work email, home phone, cell phone, fax machine (if you need it), webcams, tablet, etc.... And depending on your job you can be bombarded by versions of all these ways to communicate for 9-10 hours per day. Then you get home and have to deal with your personal communications... It can truly be exhausting, so when you're standing in line at the grocery store trying to buy some milk, or at Starbucks trying to get your white chocolate mocha, is not the time when you want to chat it up with anyone.

 

[NickNitro]

Because of places like this.

 

[KalMart]

Maybe people want to be as social as they always have, but more people just aren't as good at it these days..?

 

[NickNitro]

I'm pretty sure the internet/texting gives a majority of kids (especially ones that haven't developed proper social skills yet) to just default to typing out their thoughts, calculating every word they say instead of being able to come up with ideas on the fly.

 

[Anita18]

I'm pretty sure the internet/texting gives a majority of kids (especially ones that haven't developed proper social skills yet) to just default to typing out their thoughts, calculating every word they say instead of being able to come up with ideas on the fly.

I actually type faster than I talk, due to my stutter. And if kids are calculating what they text, that's news to me.

I do think that kids are more sheltered nowadays. A lot of them are too afraid to try anything new or to go by themselves alone somewhere. Although I've had much older adults tell me it's admirable I do that, so maybe it's been a long time in the making...

 

[Sawyer]

We've become anti-social? I'm anti-social?

Well **** all of you, how's THAT for anti-social?!

Spoiler

 

[jmc]

I've always been a kind of lone wolf type of person, always been happy enough on my own, never really feeling the need to hang out with groups of people. Quite content with that to be honest.

 

[Anubis]

You mean shy? Introverted? More likely to keep to themselves?

Cuz if they were Anti-Social there would be a hell of a lot more raping and pillaging going on.

 

[RetrogradeOrbit]

I don't think people were ever particularly social, but I do agree that it seems to have gotten worse.

The technology has a lot to do with it. Headphones, tablets, smart phones, handhelds, etc.

I think this is generally true. But I also believe it depends upon where you live.

For instance, in London, you virtually dare not make eye contact with strangers. However, if you find yourself out for a walk somewhere in Yorkshire, perfect strangers will say "Good morning" to you and sometimes strike up an entire conversation.

I have experience of both of the above. The latter weirded me out the first few times it happened, but after a while you get used to it and even enjoy the interaction.

 

[Soapy]

I was antisocial before it was cool.

 

[RetrogradeOrbit]

We've become anti-social? I'm anti-social?

Well **** all of you, how's THAT for anti-social?!

Spoiler

Not even nearly venomous enough... You're losing your edge mister...

 

[Superwoman Prime]

I don't notice it so much in "Real Life", but people do seem more likely to ignore texts or private messages than years ago. In my own experience, and others.

I hate when I ask someone a question and they don't even bother to respond with "Sorry, don't know". They could at least refer me to another who might know the answer(s). It's like they're lost up their own asses or lazy as hell.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I think this is generally true. But I also believe it depends upon where you live.

For instance, in London, you virtually dare not make eye contact with strangers. However, if you find yourself out for a walk somewhere in Yorkshire, perfect strangers will say "Good morning" to you and sometimes strike up an entire conversation.

I have experience of both of the above. The latter weirded me out the first few times it happened, but after a while you get used to it and even enjoy the interaction.

I have my own idea as to why this may be, at least here in the states. As a person that lived in NYC until I was 13 and moved to the Pocono Mountains only to move back to the city when I was 22 (my parents stayed and I of course went back frequently to see them and freinds) I would like to think I have a bit of a handle on both environments.

In densely populated urban areas one is not just in need of a certain private zone around oneself physically that in good taste others should not violate, but also a mental one. Despite it's Liberal reputation, most New Yorkers actually operate in public with a sort of quasi-Libertarianism. If you don't bother me or violate either my physical or mental zone of solitude it's live and let live. I don't care what you do. If I am standing on the corner and there is a woman dressed in Hentai styled Cat costume and on the other side of me is a Cowboy dressed in nothing but a diaper, well as long as they aint bothering me personally I really don't give two airborne copulations, and I am betting they feel the same way. This is necessary in a setting where you rub shoulders all day long with others no matter where you go. You are sharing space so much that corporeally and spiritually you have to give people their space and you hope they do the same. This is not ever a recent phenomenon I think. Compared to the wide open spaces in other parts of the country and the more sparsely populated small towns, places like NYC, Chicago, Phillie, Boston ect. have been big shoulder to shoulder cities for a long time.

Compare that to the rest of the country, especially during the initial drive to spread further west. If you went out to the Indian Territories back in the day, out to the frontier, well, you may not see anyone outside of your family or close by neighbors for months, maybe even years in some places before the 20th Century. So of course it's the reverse of familiarity breeds contempt. If you haven't seen a new face in a while, well you are going to just be the nicest person you can be aren't you? We are social creatures after all. Just as much as in a crowded area you need peace of mind a some me time, so too in desolate environments do you crave new and different social interactions.

Let me also just say that as a New Yorker I get not wanting someone to start talking to me and starting up a covo just out of the blue without a certain kind of personal diplomacy first. Plus, I consider myself a congenial person but City life means being on your toes and aware of your surroundings. Criminals use conversation as distraction sometimes. Finally in urban areas I have found that the types of people who do just chat you up out of the blue are the borderline mentally unstable looking for attention or the full on totally nuts. Sorry if that offends anyone but I've been riding the NYC subway system for many years and that's how I see it. I'm willing to hear counter theories from others though.

 

[PyroChamber]

I've always been a loner, and most of it comes from the fact that I've never been a "people person"; I just don't have the patience to deal with other people

I'm more comfortable being by myself therefore I get to go wherever I want and do whatever I want to do without objection from someone else.

 

[charl_huntress]

People don't communicate with "real" people because they're too busy on the cell phone tweeting, and FB'ing and snapchatting while playing a game of Words with Friends with a stranger.

 

[Tanin]

Because I have High functioning Autism and I don't really care about communication in the same way others do.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I think it's the social media.

People rather paint the perfect social life than live an imperfect one.

 

[Nathan]

I don't notice it so much in "Real Life", but people do seem more likely to ignore texts or private messages than years ago. In my own experience, and others.

I hate when I ask someone a question and they don't even bother to respond with "Sorry, don't know". They could at least refer me to another who might know the answer(s). It's like they're lost up their own asses or lazy as hell.

I think the problem is that we are way too connected nowadays. Knowing hundreds of people, through facebook, twitter, whatever else there is. Possibly getting texted day in, day out by all kinds of people. People can reach you all the damn time, no matter where you are. So it's only natural when people slowly start to ignore everyone and everything, unless it's actually important.

 

[:eek:]

Cell phones. They're convenient, but I prefer the days of simple flip phones. I hate how everyone is always so glued to their phones.

One day you'll look up and realize your kids put you in a nursing home.

If you ever could get away from the phone long enough to get kids in the first place...