CH207: Ostracized

I've just come to think why is there such a social stigma when it comes for some people doing things by themselves? I've heard people's shock when I've told them before that I sometimes eat out by myself in a restaurant. Or more wide-eyes when I say I do watch a movie by myself. Even more shock and awe when I tell people I went to Krabi, Siem Reap and New York by myself.

What is it with doing things by one's self that has to garner such responses?

Is it out of the norm for people to do things by themselves?

When I've told some friends (I don't recall my mom's reaction when I told her this haha) that I will be going to Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona for my birthday from April 10-19, the first things they ask is who will I be going with? Some have even assumed that I will most definitely be with "someone." I answered that I will be going by myself - and that I will just meet "someone" when I get to where I'm going.

So yes, just side stepping on the topic, I've decided to do Portugal and Spain for my birthday (CH206: Making My Own Problems). I've looked through Morocco but was scared shit of the prices I asked for a tour from Marrakesh to Fez which cost 550 EUR for 3 days, and 120 EUR for a day trip around Marrakesh. I inquired from the tour organizer which was rated #1 in Tripadvisor. So...I don't think I'll be going there anytime soon. My next destination I'm thinking dreaming of is Italy or France (Marseilles, Paris, Brussels, Bruges, Ghent then ending it at Amsterdam) to continue the west to east Europe trip. OR, quite possibly, do Gaza + Jerusalem going forward with my mom's dream destination (Jerusalem - to see the sights Catholics would go for).

Anyway, back to the topic. I wonder who propagated (and when) that it's unhealthy to do things by your own. It's almost unimaginable for some people I've spoken with to do things on their own, and I'm thinking like really? What's so bad with being able to do things by your own? It's not like I don't have friends, if anything, it's a reinforced choice - given that there's so much to consider and plan for when planning a trip for a group. Are people just generally afraid of being by their own?

When it comes down to it, everyone's bound to be alone when they're buried in a casket 6 feet under. Everyone's bound to be alone when they travel the realms after death. Then again, I may just be over thinking it, and people's general reaction to doing stuff on your own is just a manifestation of a lack of reinforcement in appreciating how empowering it is to be able to be in that level of independence.