[ghostbrainalpha]

I try to let lonely people speak about their passions with me for sort of the same reason.

Multiple times I have gotten shocked reactions when they discover after several conversations that I have never played World of Warcraft, or watched Doctor Who, because we have been talking about it for so long. This is usually because the more isolated someone is the less questions they ask and they more 1-way the conversation is, but it can result in hurt feelings if they feel mislead. So now I am sure to position myself early as interested but not experienced for whatever made up reason.

This not only helps them connect with someone, but has given me the most fascinating insights into the thought process, inner lives, and domain expertise of people very different from me. But I also wonder if this intense listening, but not participating psychological voyeurism is part of my own personality disorder... and preventing me from fully engaging with the world.

I took this strange passion so far that I attempted to make a startup where semi-famous people read Audio Books from OTHER authors, and then paused in between chapters to give you their reflections on what they had just read.