Are you socially awkward by choice?

[Drakmeire]

Ok, this is going to sound strange but I've noticed that many people on this site claim to be socially awkward. I've been accused of the same thing but recently I've noticed it seems to be by choice.
I'll elaborate, whenever I meet new people I tend to be very social and get along with almost anyone just fine, I'm open about my more geeky hobbies and can still get along with people I have nothing in common with, but only if I want to. I tend not to like most people (I'm very picky when it comes to the company I keep) so I will avoid them. I seem to dislike the majority of people I meet so because of that I tend to be labeled as having bad social skills.
So are you socially awkward because you can't help it or do you choose to be an introvert?

 

[Dr. Pepper Unlimited]

I hate most people, but that doesn't make me socially awkward. I have no trouble talking to anybody; I simply choose not to talk to people. I think people like to self-label far too often and that's why this site is rampant with, well, everything.

 

[FrostyRoskies]

I'm pretty much the same as you. I'm usually awkward only around people I respect.

 

[BanicRhys]

I would try to be everyone's friend if I had the self confidence to talk to people I don't know.

 

[Uncle_Brainhorn]

I guess. I make no effort to meet people, and I don't talk to the people I do know very often.

 

[Gennadios]

I don't think any of 'yall are describing being socially awkward. Being socially picky about the company you keep is a different thing. Being socially awkward usually means you either don't have enough clout/self esteem to choose who you associate with and go for whoever's comfortable or available, or you're so f*cked that most people just stay away from you.

For the record, as long as one's comfortable with who they are, having oddball interests or outlooks isn't a problem, it helps set one apart.

 

[TehCookie]

Yup. If I went out and talked to people more I would probably be less socially awkward, but I don't like people so my social skills have suffered.

 

[Kingme18]

No I'm not socially awkward, I love people, and I love being around people!

 

[Lord Beautiful]

Good lord, no. I'd love to actually have social skills and the ability to avoid awkwardness. Combining that with my beauty would make me unstoppable. Bwahahahaha.

But seriously, I'm socially crippled by nature, not by choice.

 

[Cain_Zeros]

It's the result of a choice made years ago. I avoided most people and kinda shut myself off from the ones I didn't avoid for various reasons, and now I'm not quite sure how to deal with them any other way. Of course, the fact that I'm not the most confident of people doesn't help either.

 

[Cephei Mordred]

I wouldn't say I'm socially awkward, but I do question those who place great store on it, as much as I also question the self-sure confidence that extroversion is better than introversion.

To put a finer point on it, how much of learning to be properly "social" is just a way to ensure that those who place great store in it are calling all the shots?

 

[A Weary Exile]

I'm pretty much the same as you. I'm usually awkward only around people I respect.

I can relate to that. I'm perfectly alright with talking to complete strangers most of the time, but I usually stumble over my words with people I like. Maybe it's because I respect them that I'm more critical of myself and what I say to them. Dunno.

OP: I'm not socially awkward, by choice or otherwise, but I am socially isolated. Not by choice. I have a few friends here on the interwebz and that's about it.

I had about 4-5 friends in high school and we got along really well, unfortunately we don't live anywhere near each other now and don't keep in touch. :l

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Good lord, no. I'd love to actually have social skills and the ability to avoid awkwardness. Combining that with my beauty would make me unstoppable. Bwahahahaha.

But seriously, I'm socially crippled by nature, not by choice.

I think I'm gonna start using that now, socially crippled. I like it!

OT: I sure as hell didn't want to be socially awkward. It sucks to not have the social grace of floating from one conversational group to the next with no fear of messing it up. I'm lucky I can say 'hello' without messing that up and looking like a total jackass.

 

[Sandernista]

I'm not socially awkward. That seems like a lot of work.

 

[DustyDrB]

A lot of people here seem to be the type that will sit silently in a corner and think of ways to kill you for no reason other than you're another human being.

Me? I get along with everyone. Always have. I'm also an optimist and think people are generally good.

 

[GarysTrousers]

Well i mainly judge people on their hobbies you see, if they like sport, music thats on(Australian) radio, wear tracksuit pants while not excersising or are casulaly racist, i will avoid contact at all costs. And yeah, i guess i am sort of socially awkward, which is a bit shit if you live in the bogan parts of Australia (like me), everyone looks at you funny...

 

[badgersprite]

I get along well with everyone. Ironically, embracing my social awkward geekiness and avoiding that cursed trap of 'trying to be cool' has made me much more of a social butterfly. Admittedly, I still tend to get nervous when meeting new people, but being in uni has fixed that a lot. I'm in classes with new people more or less every six months, so it's become much much easier for me to be the more proactive open party when making friends.

I like everybody and I like having fun. So, yeah, ironically choosing to be socially awkward and weird made me less socially awkward and weird.

 

[Agayek]

I'm a fairly sociable person, in all honesty, but I'm a loner by nature and choice. Not really sure how that combo worked out, but it did. Once I start talking to people and whatnot, I get along pretty well with just about everyone with little to no awkwardness, but I'm shy and (mostly) too lazy to make the effort to properly socialize with most people.

It's kinda weird, but I made my choice and I'm happy with it, for the most part.