> have barely learned to "fake it" well enough to pass as a normie
So do I. I don't mind to practice social skills but I can smell the b.s in many people and don't like the fake socialization, so I prefer to be alone (now with my dog) with a small number of real friends who have the similar concept.
I've learned to "fake it" so well that I can seem more social than my wife, who is a very social person. And yet, I'm always aware (on some level) that I'm faking it. Life is funny ;)
It's not easy to talk about. People tend to get defensive.
Most smiles that I see seem forced, for example. And even when I'm eavesdropping. So it's not just about me ;)
But it can be learned. Decades later, I still vividly recall the video sessions at the start and end of the est 6-Day course. Most people managed to own their act.
So do I. I don't mind to practice social skills but I can smell the b.s in many people and don't like the fake socialization, so I prefer to be alone (now with my dog) with a small number of real friends who have the similar concept.