Social Life: Exploring the power of relationships between people

Whether we like to admit it or not, we all thrive on being social creatures. Even our introverted friends need a certain level of interaction.

Fundamentally, our brains are wired to help us function in social settings.

It's one of the major keys that helps our world go around. We interact with friends, co-workers, family, whether we like it or not.

Yet, with something so fundamentally important, I am always left wondering why the information in this book is not taught in schools.

I see far more value in knowing this key component in our life as oppose to the state bird or an isosceles triangle. Don't get me wrong, I love math and some history, but those things should be in the backseat when it comes to the discussion of social.

3 Takeaway Points

1. We are more social than other animals. What does this mean for us? It allows us to live in relatively large groups. As a result, this requires complex social interactions. One of the reasons why we have larger brains. When we aren't occupied  or engaged in a specific task, we tend to think about our social relationships. Humans are so enthralled in the social world that it's our default thinking setting when we have free time. 
2. Can words hurt us as much as something physical? Yes, physical and social pain both are found to trigger the same areas of the brain. Regardless of the source, we feel the same pain. If someone punches you in the back of the head...guess what it's going to hurt. It's why when we see a fist coming, we tend to react and try to avoid it. The same goes for social. What is one of the biggest fears people have? It's public speaking and floundering embarrassing yourself. Isn't it crazy that of all things in our world, this is a tremendous fear many have. It's because this fear of feeling pain from social rejection is built in us through our evolution. 
3.  Is social pleasure as real as physical pleasure? We often hear the benefits of being physically active, the so-called runners high or the dopamine rush after lifting weights that makes you feel like a million bucks. It's obvious these both contribute to our well-being. Just as it's true physically, having a fulfilling social life can tremendously contribute to our well-being. Perhaps, it's one of the reasons we love posting pictures on our social feeds because of the positive social feedback. It's a great motivator and a renewable resource. With that said, give someone a compliment to someone or make an effort to start a small chat. You might make someone's day.

Conclusion

I often see a lot of our youth suppress emotions through drugs or some other harmful ways. We may not want to admit it, but we may be at fault. There are certain stigmas when it comes to social life. But simply understanding the natural process can put everyone at a much better frame of mind. Sometimes that's all it takes to make certain adjustments we want to make. 

Social by Matthew Lieberman

 

 

 

 

My name is Romario Villanueva.  Entrepreneur & blogger. I'm a graduate from Rutgers University with several certifications from top schools through Coursera. I love all things business, psychology, and basketball. Feel free to reach out to me on Facebook and LinkedIn