I agree completely. Have to be alone for a period of time or the drain on me becomes too much to bear.

I think quite a few of of us who flock to websites such as GR and BookLikes are probably "social introverts" -- people who need substantial "alone time" to recharge their batteries, but are still social animals enough to seek company and the exchange of ideas (even if without necessarily having to be in somebody else's presence, and essentially at our own leisure as to when and how we choose to participate in the discussion in the first place). The internet can't -- and shouldn't -- replace "real world" socialization, but this is one aspect that I, for one, have come to appreciate a lot about sites like this one ...

I don't know that I agree the Internet can't and shouldn't replace real-world interaction....