I'm a sociable enough guy--I can converse on a number of subjects, including politics and history. But as time passes by, and I grow old (now nearing 60), all I seem to think is, "Why bother?"

So many people I meet want to simply have a sounding board--someone who simply listens to, usually ignorant, rants about their lives, nodding along, never contributing, and certainly never interrupting. Most discourse is a series of cliches, typically interspersed with "you know" and "uh," lightly sprinkled with the common knowledge du jour; common knowledge invariably wrong.

Navigating the sore points and personal tripwires of strangers and just-met peoples is a burden now. At one time I could find it a challenge, a puzzle to be maneuvered around--a task that was somewhat enjoyable since I truly liked most of the people I met. Now I find most folks a bore...or remarkably rude.