What a good question!

NO! I don't!

and when I am saying that, I am refering myself to masses of ppl that are like plastic things walking around this world.

When I found someone that is conscious, speaks communsense and is... normal! I refer to that particular Soul to be on of a few journeying in this planet.

I think you have hot upon a central condundrum of human life. Wasnt it george Bernard Shaw who said hell is other people? But joy is also other people so to shut yourself away from them is a nad idea. I think this poem by Mother Thersa is a good guide. I try to apply it:

1. The version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

-this version is credited to Mother Teresa

well, sometimes, i feel like i love people, like with the gentle souls on this board... but i know i'm destined to a friendless life.... because people hurt me so much

this is a cold and cruel world we live in, not suited to our temperments....

mostly i'm an animal lover, they are safe to love... people are not safe, i would have to put that in bold caps to get how i feel across... PEOPLE ARE NOT SAFE

present company excluded of course lol

Yes, I like almost everyone. I find people to be interesting to observe. Fascinating in how they interact with one another.

i don't hate people, i just seem to feel better when they're not around ~Charles Bukowski

I am the same way. I used to be more trusting of people but I have been hurt so I am very careful about whom I trust. I feel more comfortable interacting with people who are quiet like me. Many people in the city where I live seem to have cliques or are rude.

I hate to see people badly hurt. I had to change countries because I was so uncomfortable with the U.S. hurting the poor and different. I hate injustice. People I take as individuals. Takes me a long time to trust.

Do I like people?

Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.

Do I trust people?
Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.
Mostly no. But it depends.

Do I get let down by people.
Yes. Do I know people who are there for me? Yes. ONE person. My husband.


Liking and trusting people depends on many things which I am too tired to get into but there is good and bad and I try and remember none of us are infallible.

"A man is lucky if he has three things; an old wife, an old dog, and ready cash" - Ben Franklin

It seems people haven't changed that much since Ben's time. Think about who this person was, who he got to hang out with, and all he added to society. Yet these three things he considered himself lucky to have.

I like people yet generally don't trust them based on experiences in the past and being hurt as many of us have here unfortunately. I wish I could like them more and trust more yet I do believe Supportplease is right about people taking advantage of each other. Elaine Aron's latest book "The Undervalued Self" talks about the two basic behaviors of people; linking and ranking. HSP's are more linking oriented while the other 80% are ranking oriented which has more to do with power and taking advantage of others. Go to: http://www.hsperson.com/pages/1May09.htm which will give an overview of what this about. I have the book yet haven't read it yet.

i want to get that book, katzenmother, but i don't have the money right now.... for sure i'm the linking type, i barely recognize hierarchy... but i find that when people link to me, they are just using me anyway.... to help them with their work, to inspire their creativity, to solve their problems, to listen to them go on an on and on about their problems, which hurts me so bad, coz i feel the pain, and i sort of feel like they are 'offloading' the pain onto me... which isn't fair is it? i don't do that to people, even tho i like to talk and connect with pains we have in common as much as the next person... but even tho i do try and mirror with my own experiences, the other person just waits for me to stop talking and continues SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF ME haha.... so i don't get to love and enjoy people the way that i would like to, because gosh darnit, it just hurts tooooooooo much....

Zoeflower, I have to wonder if people on a subconscious basis sense that we are empaths (ala energy dump heaps) which is why you and I have both felt people sucking the life out of us? I have come to the point where if people aren't at least a bit of a HSP I'd rather be left alone. Having fibro too you know we have a certain amount of energy and I'll be darned if what I refer to as energy vampires are going to get it from me anymore. I have never understood why people aren't more cooperative (or linking) with each other as it behooves humans to be that way. In some ways at least I believe HSP's are more evolved than others as our behaviors promote positive feelings and good rather than taking advantage of others. I am not "ranking" when I say we are more evolved. Look at how much of society is still so barbaric even in so called civilized Western society. HSP's share while non-HSP's aggressively take and take advantage of others. I'm off my soap box now as it doesn't pay for me to get this intense. When you get a copy of "The Undervalued Self" it will be fun to compare notes with you:)

sure i would love to compare notes hon, there's two books i want, one on cultivating solitude and the other is the one you mentioned..... i'm sorry if i made you feel intense, i'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight too, over stimulated and beat....

i noticed on the other thread you were talking about reincarnation, for the love of all that's good and holy i pray i don't have to come back to the hellish planet lol

but haven't you noticed that some HSPs don't seem to be sensitive in the same way.... like they may be sick, or get their feelings hurt easily, but that's not really the definition..... like supposed HSPs that can STAND to have extremely toxic and baaaad people in their lives... that would kill me fast....

i don't know what i'm meaning, i'm just saying that not all HSPs are safe it seems.... i'm not even sure that i'm safe, coz i THINK i'm the one that chased pookie off... not sure tho...

do you know who is my favourite fictional HSP... the elephant man, in the movie by david lynch... he was so sweet and tender and fine... and that's how i picture an HSP... and often i don't see that, but i know that there are degrees of HSP-ness.... and i'm OFF THE CHARTS haha... but even i can say something off colour if i'm hurt.... which makes me sad about myself

sometimes yes,sometimes no..lots of people,no,a few people,that I know and trust,yes...

people suck the life out of me? yes
i really get what you guys are saying.
well I don't allow it to happen like i have in the past.
I have had people just strangers sometimes talking to me and I end up listening and they can reveal quite a lot about themselves, they open up and tell me secrets and all sorts. LOL

the last person I was making attempts to make friends with because at first I thought she was a cool person....LOL oh my goodness. I may as well had a sign that said "dump on me"
she had a lot of things that I just couldn't deal with, I did listen and showed concern and empathy but it was every time she phoned me. It was too much. I really didn't know her that well, she just fell right into telling me a whole load of her life. I listened.
I suggested seeing someone for help because she was dealing with a loss of someone very close to her. I couldn't help her like she wanted.
and also she wanted to do things like all day. lets go here, oh we can do this, and that.....it was oh too much, overwhelming. I know she wanted a friend but she was too much for me.
i couldn't spend a whole day with her.
after two hours of going out with her one day. I was exhausted and couldn't wait to get out of the car and into my home.

I feel I pretty much ended it before it even got anywhere which is a good thing I feel. I just could sense that it was going to be one sided. and I had my own struggles or have my own struggles I am dealing and
I just can't take on others too. she wasn't in a position to be a friend to me, she just wanted one for her. if that makes any sense.
so I have become even more choosy who to spend time with. well really I have no friends around here.
My neighbor is about the only person I occasionally chat with or got into town with.
she's cool because she likes her space and time too. and we don't get into anything heavy, it's oh what movie have you seen or the latest book. we don't discuss too much personal stuff. well we are neighbors and so there is that line...ya know. but I consider her as a friend. but not a friend I am close to.
we can go weeks without seeing each other. LOL
it works fine for me.

YES, naturegirl, people open up to me and really trust me with private and hurtful experiences that theyve had!

Is this common among us?