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True or false?: "Humans are social animals."
That's true in general, but a surprising number of people prefer one or more forms of reclusiveness: the voluntary seclusion from people.
In my article,The Recluse Option, I made the case for a minimal social existence and then wrote, Making Reclusiveness Work.
Today's installment describes flavors of reclusiveness. Perhaps one or more might intrigue you:
- Pure recluses. An early pure recluse was Symeon of Trier who, in the 11th century, found the life of a monk too social and got permission to live as a hermit, which he did for most of the rest of his life. Another reclusive monk received Christianity's top honor: Theophan the Recluse was named a saint.
- Work alone/play with others. Some people hate relying on others and sharing credit and blame at work but enjoy after-work social life. Such people often own a one-person business (outsourcing work where necessary), or work as a contractor at home, for example, as a writer or programmer.
- Work social/play alone. Other people choose to work among others but spend most discretionary time alone, usually pushing aside social invitations and would-be friendships.
- Solo sabbaticals. While most people's sabbaticals and long vacations involve people (travel, family activities, etc), some escape to religious and spiritual retreats or take extended solo road- or backpacking trips.
- Episodic reclusiveness. Some people opt to be reclusive for only a chunk of their life. For example, after a series of unsuccessful romances, a person may decide that a few years with books, movies, TV, music, a pet, and the outdoors make better company than do people.
- Illness-caused reclusiveness. A famous example is aircraft manufacturer Howard Hughes, whose obsessive-compulsive disorder holed him up in his Beverly Hills hotel for years. In a single year, his hotel bill was $11 million.
You. So what about you? Many people feel pressure to be more social than they'd really like to be. How about you? Might you want to consider any of these flavors of reclusiveness?
In subsequent posts, I'll tell composite stories of solitude based on my clients and other people I know.
