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PaperclipPerfector  10d ago (text post)   2987 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for June 14, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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How unreasonable is it to prioritize work over interpersonal connections? I truly enjoy my work and find it so much more gratifying than anything else I have ever done in my life, but there seems to be some sort of prevailing consensus that you are only human if you relate to others? Has anyone else led a somewhat more solitary existence and prioritized only themselves over connections with others (outside of the connections you make at work anyway in a team, although those connections are more transactional in nature)?

At some point work may not be so exciting anymore and you may have like 50+ years of your life to putter around. Basically where I am as I don't have any real friends currently after I kind of stopped talking to everyone.

Why did you stop talking to them?

I was in a very low mental place, but was doing a lot better materially than them so I felt unworthy to ask for help, and otherwise didn't feel like I could be my real self around them. It was kind of a silent cry for help, but you need fairly pushy friends for going unresponsive to be productive in that way, otherwise they'll be fine just moving on.

didn't feel like I could be my real self around them

You can’t really, not many (or anyone?) can handle the true nature of human wanting or whatever. Hope you’re doing better mentally now?

I think there are degrees but yeah that's essentially true. I'm in a better place now, definitely.

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