A TikTok creator known as @talkwithjewlz set off a full-on debate this month with a video arguing that people in their 20s have lost the basic art of socializing. Her key evidence? She complimented a student’s shirt and got a flat“Thanks”in return, which she found genuinely strange. The video, posted April 12, has racked up 388,100 views and a comment section that can’t agree on anything.
Her theory is that there’s a real divide between students whose high school years got disrupted by COVID and those whose didn’t, plus a general sense that the internet made casual friendliness feel awkward. She also claimed that people only show interest in befriending her once they learn how big her Instagram following is, which struck a nerve with plenty of viewers.
The comments split into two camps. Some agreed that basic friendliness now gets treated like a weird behavior, with one commenter writing that“if you want community you have to talk to people.”Others pushed back that introverts have every right to keep things brief, with one noting that“there’s such a thing as talking too much.”Where do you land: is friendliness a lost art, or do people just need a little space?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.