Artificial Relationships

People can probably find all manners of excuses to have some connection with other people. For example, so-and-so went to the same college as you did. And, yet others will find that completely artificial, and more than that, a disincentive to meet the person.

For example, suppose you're visiting a country. Say, India or China. You're a foreigner there, and someone local says "I know another American". Is your inclination to think "Wow, someone I can relate to!" or is it "So? Why should I talk to them? So what if we come from the same country".

Much of that, I suspect, has to do with how introverted you are. The more extroverted you are, the more likely you might talk to anyone. So such commonalities might simply be that excuse to talk.

The funny thing is that people seem to prefer meeting others in situations that force folks to work with one another. This could be a job setting. And even then, it has to be pretty close proximity. There are people literally 20 seconds away that we almost never talk to, because they belong to a different group. It has nothing to do with them or us being mean, but that any tiny barrier can cause a person not to talk to the next person.

Indeed, more people are introverted, and getting them to talk to others is something they simply don't like. I can see that, even if offered millions to be really outgoing, they may choose not to do it because they are so painfully shy and it would create distress.

Anyway, the point of this was to find relationships based on some commonality that may or may not make sense where being an alumni was number 1 on that list of things that people may or may not feel kinship.