Les Interactions Sociales

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-Venga a nuestro departamento. damos una fiesta! Sé que está con Camila pero viene con ela.
-No. quiero venir pero ella no hace.
-Es un puta
-If you think that...I am.
-A que paso? Camila le ha encambiando! Hace ni lo defiendes!
-hahaha...I am a good boy
-ahh, que lindo

This interaction took place on the 22nd of January 2011, and it is a shining example of how people consistently refuse to do what they want en lieu of another's wishes. At first glance one may ask why in the world would someone sacrifice personal desire for someone else? The common eye may see this interaction and conclude that love is in the air, and a common concept dictates that we do things we don't necessarily want as a core definition of love. I reject these claims with the idea that all personal sacrifices are taken in context for the long-term future anticipatory rewards.

I myself have been a perp in this regard. I can honestly say that I have been in those shoes, skipping large social interactions in exchange for taking care of my sick love or just resting and having a quiet night and she's done the same. We'd like to believe for love of the significant other is why our behavior changes, but its much more easily explained in terms of evolution. If I am with my significant other, I will exchange my short term pleasure because I know that in the future, those social interactions will a) still be there b) not be as rewarding as the possible punishment. Logically, anyone would skip a temporary desire for the knowledge that doing so will create a bond much stronger for the couple's future, aid in sexual advancement, etc. The reasons are limitless, but the endgame remains the same. Our behavior isn't characteristic of altruism, but rather our anticipated rewards.

With that said, the question arises of the necessity of said action and the benefits and costs. I raise these questions because I see it every day in the world, including my own life. When I acquired my new girlfriend, I disappeared off the social network. The proof is that last night was my first hosting a get together at my place since last year. Do I regret it? Absolutely not, because not only do I adore spending time with my love, the bonds created by our togetherness are much stronger than the bonds I could make with a majority of those other friends.

Statistically speaking, five years after we graduate from university, we're likely to be in contact with 3-5 friends from our college years. In 15 years, we will remain in contact with anywhere between 1-3 old college friends. With that said, I feel it is much more important to bide your time and cherish the time spent with the ones you love, because they will ultimately be the ones you promenade into the future with. To those who deem this to be a sheltered and anti-social mindset, it could not be further from the truth. We learn about our world through others as well as ourselves, but at the risk of sounding hypocritical, we, as social creatures must interact. However, we should not condemn those with significant others who choose the wiser long-term rewards instead of conforming to the groups desire to come together and cause a ruckus, for most gatherings in the Northern hemisphere aren't for social interaction, but rather to dull the senses and wits, a shame-faced task to behold or be a part of...said by a piece of the puzzle who has joined, hosted, condoned, and exasperated these problems in the past. But no more...