Many people go through a phase like that at some point in their youth, I think. It's silly to deny the part that other people play in your own wellbeing. The EXTENT to which they make or break your happiness is what's important - I fully agree that relying too much on others gets you hurt a lot of the times. But I also think most people living according to your philosophy do so out of fear or denial or I don't know what. Saying you don't derive happiness from other people sounds stupid as well as unrealistic to me, and I'm not saying that because I "don't understand it", I say it because I do understand it. Every serious relationship that you have in your life and that gives you happiness, automatically entails a risk of losing that happiness. And that is really frightening. But it's something you can accept as a fact of life, and be brave enough to throw yourself into it and see where it will take you. It might lead to you getting hurt very badly at some point, but it also enables you to enjoy the good parts fully and thoroughly.
That's my opinion, BTW, not an attack on you personally, as I hope you knew.
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I am perfectly capable of entertaining myself for long periods of time, too, (GET that mind out of the gutter!) and I don't absolutely need to be around people all the time to get the recognition and feedback I need to be happy. I like being on my own, and I prefer having a few close friends that I have a real bond with over a large group of semi-friends... but still I think I do rely on other people as well as on myself when it comes to being happy, and would find it silly if I were to deny that. There is no way for most people to be totally self-sufficient, emotionally speaking. Otherwise they wouldn't mind being made hermits and recluses in the least.
[ 10-12-2004, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: Melusine ]