We can pick out the dummies in a heartbeat can't we?

@MojoDave you bet. Usually they're people who just have to fill the air with noise. Everything they observe with their eyes comes out of their mouth.

Well, I'd say solitude instead of isolation, but I know what you mean. I recently spent several weeks at my mom's, and I think there's something to the idea of just having someone available to break the solitude as needed. I think it could be tricky though, finding someone who is both available but also not constantly interrupting one's solitude. Perhaps another introvert is indeed a better choice, rather than someone more extroverted.

That was so well put! You nailed it !

The more I think about your comment, Buxx, the more it resonates with me. I was never really able to articulate that conflict as clearly as you did. I think my solution is to be "around" people, but not "with" them. That's why I go dancing a lot. I go to coffee shops and read. I attend classes on topics that interest me. There's the camaraderie of a shared interest, but it's not a personal one, and there's no obligation to interact on a personal level if I don't want to. That's what dispels the loneliness for me without being threatening.