Yes, this is very good. I've decided that X is also a form of procrastination as well, and I need to take an extended break from it as you have done, until I accomplish some urgent things. Often I say well I will just look at this or that but it turns into a few hours of scrolling.

I do seek out contrasting people to the extent that I seek out people at all. My method of late is, if I seek out people, it is for specific goals rather than just the generic "make friends". So for example I know people who like to take road trips and do photography. This is not for money, it's just a kind of idealistic artistic pursuit I guess.

And as for women, I don't approach them at all but sometimes women get sexually aggressive with me and then maybe I will respond. Several of these have been quite good-looking but they are never really looking for anything lasting as you well know.

For example, I recently met that tall chick and she both acted sexually aggressive and wanted to meet up for dance practice. I would be OK with this. But she looks like a mentally ill hoe and so far has been unreliable, so I remain skeptical. This is not just about hoes, either - people flake all the time, everywhere now. It's a feature of American society more and more since before Covid.

Another example of this is a friend of mine who wanted to start a podcast. I was willing, but it never went anywhere. We never got to step one. This is why I think it's a bigger, collective problem as to whether anything much can be accomplished collaboratively in our kind of society. Sure, women flake in particular, but it's part of a wider trend also.

So far, and sad as it is to say, but my experience is "transactional relationships" have worked best in our time. Why? I guess because expectations are in line with what actually happens when money is involved. For example, if I go to the dance studio then I at least (in theory) get what I pay for. That hour of material will be covered, guaranteed. Unless literally no one shows up. That hasn't happened except for a few of the lesser attended classes.

This kind of thing is both a voluntary social organization and a business. Things can actually get done in that context. Getting people to commit to something creative outside of that context is a much riskier proposition nowadays. Social atomization is complete. And I'm not judging - we all put ourselves first.

It's just an interesting situation - without certain incentives nothing really gets done in this country and there's always some excuse (I'm married and have to spend time with the wife, I have work in the morning, I am too busy, etc). If money doesn't change hands, nobody is showing up. In some ways it's remarkable that the engine of commerce still runs with how lackadaisical everyone is about everything.

Truly images of a civilization in decline.