Loner

A person who chooses to ignore the commonly held belief that humans are by nature social and therefore need constant interaction with others to lead an enjoyable life. Usually this person enjoys a plethora of solo social activities (internet, books, gaming, science/math related hobbies) and can comfortably attend social events and activities alone. Loners can interact socially and in some cases are well received by others; yet still look forward to their alone time. A person whose mindset is different(in many cases exactly in opposition to) than most of the people they interact with regarding politics, social issues, economic issues, and life in general. Loners in many cases would rather speak about issues that affect everyone rather than what this celebrity did on that day. Loners also have a live and let live attitude. In friendships and relationships loners are usually fiercely loyal and honest and can even be quite romantic; but their nontraditional style in many cases may leave their mates and friends in wonderment. If a loner finds a similar soul, they will usually bond with that person well because there is no strong social obligation/demand as there may be with non loners. Loners, if they do follow any traditions, usually do so in their own unique fashion which comes from self analysis rather than strictly following someone elses interpretation. Loners are close cousins to mavericks and pioneers. And some of them even become innovators and thinkers who solve certain problems in unexpected ways. Loners are not to be confused with the lonely. Lonely people prefer being social, but for internal and/or external reasons have problems doing so. Lonely people are the ones who suffer from depression and related disorders more than what is said to be normal because their need for human contact is not being fulfilled to their preference. Being a loner is an active choice. Being lonely is a collection of negative circumstances that limit choice.