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by myaccount9786 1310 days ago
It may be beneficial from a medical perspective, but you're ignoring the obvious risks. For people with SAD, etc. there is the risk of severe stress. For all people, there is the risk of sexual assault. There is the risk of false or true accusations from students, friends, or partners, the risk of getting assaulted, physically confronted, or robbed, reputational damage, etc. The list goes on.

It's up to each individual to decide whether the rewards of in-person social interaction outweigh the risks. And it's not up to anyone but me to proscribe what my decision on this matter is.

2 comments

> For people with SAD, etc. there is the risk of severe stress

I think you used the wrong acronym. I assume you are not talking about seasonal affective disorder.

More to the point, for most people in most places there exists social options where such risks are not significant relative to other risks.

Yes I agree with you that the risks are low.

But I disagree fervently and am offended with the parent comment. It doesn't make one foolish or prideful to take ownership over evaluating the cost/benefit. As an asocial person who prefers it online: parent commenter, kindly [edit: mind your own business]

Social anxiety disorder.
> And it's not up to anyone but me to proscribe what my decision on this matter is.

True, but then when stuff like cost of mental healthcare goes up, which it constantly is, who pays that bill? The correct answer is: everyone.