Do people still have value to you?

Your posts are welcome here purelambdaphi , but would you please use everyday English phraseology?  Not everyone here is familiar with your philosophical terminology as it is not commonly used in everyday speech. Everyday English would help more people to respond.

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking?

If you mean should all peple be given respect for being human, then yes. Does it mean that I whant to hang out with them, then, no.

When you use the word 'instrimentally', what do you mean?

I merely reported how I interpreted your answer, and then reported something I find surprising. My reply involves no illocution or "implied statements." Does that clear things up?

And, yes, you having a job, and having COVID-related problems getting food/etc., makes you being aware of COVID in the sense I meant less surprising.

I don't get what point it is you are trying to get at.

I think you are asking if people are important even if they bring nothing and add nothing and you want nothing, if they add something through mere presence. As we are subconsciously social creatures the answer is yes, even if we think it is no, as evidenced by the problems of solitary confinement.

COVID was easily noticeable as i was barred from the office, couldn't go out, struggled to get food, had to cover with customers as other people were ill or struggling to cope or just didn't bother joining calls. I tried to be professional, which was excessive and stressful and lead 6 months later to burnout and a breakdown at the GP.

What approach I mentioned?

I'm interpreting that as you only seeing instrumental social values for other people.

Surprising how someone like you would even notice COVID was happening at all. If it wasn't for a certain trip I was planning to do at the time being cancelled, I'd likely only have had discover about COVID in 2023 or so when the circle of niche YouTubers I watch started sufficiently talking about it.

ArchaeC said:

I enjoy the company of some others for short periods, so yes, people have social value. 

So you socially value a proper subset of the human population? I expect most other people that eventually reply to this thread will say something like that, but with different words.

I feel silly now. The proportion of people in general that would plausibly give that answer is so large having made this thread at all feels like an exercise in "redundancy".

People have intrinsic value. Recognising the inherent dignity of every human person can change how we view the world and is the rationale for respect for all peoples, but it doesn’t mean that you have to like them. I enjoy the company of some others for short periods, so yes, people have social value. 

I would remove the word 'still' because I don't think my position has changed.

I have tried having almost no interactions, after some months  I started going crazy (same problems as people who are in solitary confinement). Same issue during COVID lockdown, and I had more virtual contacts then. So some real world, not virtual, interaction with people is needed.

Do I value it though is harder to answer. I don't want to go crazy, so I value that. But if people disappear, change jobs, move, die, etc. I don't feel much or often anything, as long as there are others I can interact with, so the people are interchangeable.

I think you can't change your instinctive requirement for interaction, it is what humans need. Do you need to be conscious of it or question or analyse it, probably not.

I would say everything you do serves a purpose, whether you recognise it or not. Your subconscious is deciding things for you based on requirements you don't always know and can't control.

Just do what makes you feel better, as long as it is not harmful to yourself or others.

purelambdaphi said:

I'm sure the ones out of you that are parents, or have SOs, will say yes. I'm more leaning towards no, myself. After I reached a certain age experiencing social dynamics for the sake of it has become almost "conceptually dubious" to me

I found that when you stopped trying to understand and pre-empt the social dynamics and value weighing and just forussed on being happy and doing the things you want to do then it led to a greater feeling of self worth.

There are always things you need to do to pay the bills for the vast majority of us which brings its own share of anxiety but if you start to try to read into your interactions with society too much as well then this is a poor recipie for good mental health.

My approach has been to look at this only occasionally, use my knowledge and experience to map out the dynamics and create any plans or considerations then leave it alone and get on with life for the next few weeks.

For everyday life the approach you mention is way to much in my opinion and it is best to live a little more in the moment. Just my take but it has brought me peace of mind.