The Nature of Group Mentality as an Introvert
Social constucts can't help itself but group certain individuals with each-other.
No matter how unique or different a person can be, he/she would ultimately be a part of a group, one way or another.
As a disclaimer, the interactions I describe are of an Asian country, I can't assume this happens everywhere.
As children, this doesn't really matter, a toughie can be best friends with a queer. As you grow older, the group differences get somewhat bigger in scope. You get your typical groups: the geeks, the jocks, the people trying to get by, the try-hards, and the trouble-makers. Pretty much the backbones of a common high school environment. The ability to be friends with everyone is close to impossible because of how much they focus on caring for their own group, and their own group only. For someone who doesn't really fit into any of these groups, you'd end up to one anyway regardless, whether you like or not. You can still interact with other groups normally though, but they aren't your core group of friends.
Entering college, you'd assume this social boundary would retire out of this stage of life, but it's still there. For introverts or overthinkers such as myself, group mentality still plagues your ability to befriend everyone. You can't just join another group after joining one already. You'd be stuck with the initial friends you befriended unless you actively try to break out of the group. The only way now to get a chance to talk to other people is through activities where it's mandatory to group random people. This is your chance to befriend other people outside your group. A temporary sub-group.
After enough temporary sub-groups, you'll form your own group, catered to you, and the company you'd actually enjoy instead of the groups you're forced to be with.
I consider Group Mentality as another social boundary because it does what a social boundary does.
Limits your social capabilities. People from other groups are hesitant to talk to people already in a group. But if the individual's friendships are strong enough, they can stray out of their initial core groups or forced core group and make their own. Encouraging others that are like them to join in, either as a part of its own core group or as a temporary sub-group.
Finding the right group of friends requires patience. We are all human after all, no matter how anti-social you are, you'll always look for people to commute with. We are always looking for the right people to talk to us, the people who'll understand us. Even if we deny it.
No matter how unique or different a person can be, he/she would ultimately be a part of a group, one way or another.
As a disclaimer, the interactions I describe are of an Asian country, I can't assume this happens everywhere.
Group Mentality.
As children, this doesn't really matter, a toughie can be best friends with a queer. As you grow older, the group differences get somewhat bigger in scope. You get your typical groups: the geeks, the jocks, the people trying to get by, the try-hards, and the trouble-makers. Pretty much the backbones of a common high school environment. The ability to be friends with everyone is close to impossible because of how much they focus on caring for their own group, and their own group only. For someone who doesn't really fit into any of these groups, you'd end up to one anyway regardless, whether you like or not. You can still interact with other groups normally though, but they aren't your core group of friends.
Entering college, you'd assume this social boundary would retire out of this stage of life, but it's still there. For introverts or overthinkers such as myself, group mentality still plagues your ability to befriend everyone. You can't just join another group after joining one already. You'd be stuck with the initial friends you befriended unless you actively try to break out of the group. The only way now to get a chance to talk to other people is through activities where it's mandatory to group random people. This is your chance to befriend other people outside your group. A temporary sub-group.
After enough temporary sub-groups, you'll form your own group, catered to you, and the company you'd actually enjoy instead of the groups you're forced to be with.
I consider Group Mentality as another social boundary because it does what a social boundary does.
Limits your social capabilities. People from other groups are hesitant to talk to people already in a group. But if the individual's friendships are strong enough, they can stray out of their initial core groups or forced core group and make their own. Encouraging others that are like them to join in, either as a part of its own core group or as a temporary sub-group.
Finding the right group of friends requires patience. We are all human after all, no matter how anti-social you are, you'll always look for people to commute with. We are always looking for the right people to talk to us, the people who'll understand us. Even if we deny it.
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