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Comment by justanother | Hacker News Reader

Much as I seem to recall this feeling from childhood through my early twenties, surely I'm not the only one actively trying to avoid social interaction later in life. My wife and I have charming friends that we visit from time to time, and sometimes I attend business-related meetup.com events and conferences, but as a general rule, we go for months at a time without outside contact (I don't even bother with social networks), and are even considering moving to the middle of the woods. It isn't that we aren't nice or friendly, we'd just rather be left alone with our projects and animals.

Surely being a happy hermit isn't deadly; We find it quite gratifying.

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Hum, the fact that you live "alone" with your wife might make a little difference :)

Quoting the article: According to Cacioppo the key is in the quality, not the quantity of those people. We just need several on whom we can depend and who depend on us in return.

Also, pets help fill that role, which your parent mentions having.

> (...) we'd just rather be left alone with our projects and animals.

Having a wife and pets/livestock is not exactly being alone :)

I think what depresses people is not exactly the lack of social interaction (I wouldn't miss having to go to parties and pretend I'm interested on self-absorbed people), but rather the lack of contact with living things.

You're decidedly not alone; you're with your wife with whom you have a wonderful relationship, and your animals who adore you :)

Yeah this seems like a humblebrag.

"Oh hey it's okay to be alone, like me and my wife..."

"Oh hey, it's okay to be poor, I only have a paid-off house and car..."

I would agree. Even though I feel that I will probably be happier in the long run with a partner, I find myself quite happy to be alone much, of not most of the time.

I could see myself living in the woods and traveling to a nearby town or city ever few weeks or so to 'dip my toes' in social activity, or to have friends visit me as a form of 'retreat'.

The main thing that I miss, I've noticed, is (intellectual) input. And being online can satisfy much of that need (though not all).

What I don't miss, is social interaction for the sake of it.

I'd miss sex though, if I were to do this without a partner.

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