The point of the person you are replying to is why do you need this social interaction with people you barely know (because be honest, you don’t really know these people) versus social interaction with your friends?
Because if I'm honest, I do know them. I've been working for several years at the same place, have made friends, had lunch/dinner/beers/coffees, been to weddings, etc. Some of them are not friends, but I am happy to see them, just like I enjoy talking to my butcher or fruit seller.
Maybe it's an age/cultural thing, but I'm going to spend quite a bit of time working, so I'd rather do it with people I like. Inevitably, because we like each other, we're happy to see each other, hence the office is a good place to go to. And if I don't know them yet, there's no reason why I shouldn't meet anyone interesting at the office.
I also enjoy talking about my work with like minded people : not my friends, but co-workers. The best conversations happen over beers, coffees, meals, etc which require physical interactions.
Fair enough, I guess it’s just different for everybody. I personally prefer to get my job done as quickly as possible (which is easier without all those interactions) so that I can have the time to go spent it with the people of my choosing and not people that just happens to be next to me.
I'll add that I enjoy moving people from 'sitting next to me' to 'known', and given that there are not that many people sitting next to me, and I have a fixed office plan (always the same people next to me), it works for me.
I would not enjoy going to the office if I wasn't around the same people/there wasn't at least a bit of stability. We didn't mention this : if your company has a flexible floor plan, indeed, then you won't know your co-workers!
It probably depends on the kind of job you do as well : a significant portion of my job is spent talking to people anyway, and I'd rather make it as pleasant as possible. If it means getting to know people, then I'm quite happy to do so.
Maybe it's an age/cultural thing, but I'm going to spend quite a bit of time working, so I'd rather do it with people I like. Inevitably, because we like each other, we're happy to see each other, hence the office is a good place to go to. And if I don't know them yet, there's no reason why I shouldn't meet anyone interesting at the office.
I also enjoy talking about my work with like minded people : not my friends, but co-workers. The best conversations happen over beers, coffees, meals, etc which require physical interactions.