Would You Rather: Never feel lonely or Never feel overwhelmed by people?
Would you rather Never feel lonely or Never feel overwhelmed by people? Social dilemmas reveal how we see ourselves through other people's eyes. "Never feel lonely" versus "Never feel overwhelmed by people" is no different. The first option, "Never feel lonely", has a certain appeal that is worth unpacking. It promises something — a capability, a freedom, a knowledge — that most people go their whole lives without. But the promise is not free. Every gain in one dimension requires a corresponding sacrifice elsewhere, and the social category tends to make those sacrifices particularly vivid. You would have to live with the consequences every single day. And then there is "Never feel overwhelmed by people". Not better, not worse — just different in ways that matter. This option asks you to give up something specific, and the specificity is what makes it hard. Generic sacrifices are easy to agree to in theory. But "Never feel overwhelmed by people" names exactly what you would lose, and that precision is uncomfortable. In the social category, this kind of discomfort is the whole point. Here is where it gets personal. The choice between "Never feel lonely" and "Never feel overwhelmed by people" is not really about the options themselves. It is about what you are afraid of. Some people fear losing control. Others fear being trapped. The 4,699 people who have voted on this question are really voting on their fears. The 71%.