There’s nothing wrong with enjoying alone time, or so I tell myself because I’m a big fan.

As I write this, in two days I will be spending 90% of my time with others for seven days straight. I’ve done it before, and it is rewarding in some ways and taxing in others. It took me a long time to find a group I would choose to spend time with like this.

Finding people who care about you and who you can care about in return is a difficult situation. Even now, I don’t know exactly how I did it. Apparently when I was in college I made connections with several what I call “mayfly” collectors of humans. One of them ended up integrating me into her group, and that’s the group I’m getting ready to spend time with.

I don’t really know what angle to attack the egocentric problem, it’s no secret I am somewhat self absorbed. It appears that is the common condition in this world. Interesting to me is that even the highly disordered can be self absorbed, but they do it in remarkably different ways.

Paranoia in particular fascinates me at the same time as repulsing me. Imagine the ego to believe that dozens, hundreds or even thousands of people are deeply interested in what you are doing. Most of us aren’t that interesting, no offense intended. I’ve collected a few hundred casual observers and I can’t see much benefit to it. Few of them are intimately acquainted with who I am, most of them just see the brand that I have developed.

That’s something you’d have to do, to become highly social is to develop a brand. It’s an outward facing display of a simplified version of you. Those intrigued can examine within, but it must also repel those who will waste your time.

I think if you work on learning to like yourself/become someone you can like, others will come to like you too. I like you at any rate, and I think your engagement is usually thoughtful and insightful. We don’t always agree, but that’s something I prize in others.