The adjective sullen is used to describe someone who tends to distance themselves from people , choosing to lead an isolated and solitary life. The sullen individual does not enjoy contact with others , which is why they try to avoid or minimize social interactions.
For example: «In the mountains lives a sullen old man who only visits the town once a month» , «I'm a bit sullen, in my free time I prefer to stay at home» , «The singer is somewhat sullen: he doesn't usually give interviews nor does he get too close to the public .
The unsociable, in short, is not sociable . Participating in meetings, attending parties or going out with friends are not part of their interests. On the contrary, he chooses to remain in his home , without moving away from his surroundings and preventing other subjects from accessing him.
In general, the unsociable is unfriendly and sullen . He may ignore other people or even become aggressive, especially if he feels threatened or in danger.
There are various reasons that can turn someone into a sulk. Usually this characteristic is linked to upbringing or childhood , although it can also arise from a great disappointment with a loved one (a heartbreak, a family betrayal, etc.). In the face of pain or trauma , the subject begins to withdraw into himself as a protection mechanism.
It is important to mention that there are those who are unsociable in public or highly exposed situations, although they are warm, kind and friendly with their inner circle. This would be the case of a famous actor who does not speak to journalists or participate in social events, but always remains close to his family and friends, to name one possibility.
The case of the word sullen is similar to that of many other adjectives that do not describe one or more undeniable characteristics but rather arise from the observation of subjective traits, which can be interpreted in different ways, both by the observers and by the subject in which they are used. they get interested In this framework, we must also clarify that the sullen individual does not always identify himself in this way, either because he is ashamed to admit his lack of facility or interest in social issues or simply because he does not consider himself sullen.
To have more tools in the process of defining this term, we are going to refer to some of the synonyms that we can find in dictionaries: surly, unfriendly, unsociable, elusive, withdrawn , misanthropic, sullen and elusive . Regarding antonyms, on the other hand, we can mention tractable and sociable .
It is curious to note that among the synonyms most frequently used to replace the term unsociable there are two well-defined tendencies: one speaks of a somewhat violent attitude, while another simply refers to an inability to deal with others. Although there are other nuances between these two extremes, it is interesting to distinguish the attitude of an unfriendly person (who feels and provokes rejection or aversion in their environment) from that of someone who is elusive (who is not easy to reach, who does not remain in spaces public nor does it give rise to long conversations).
Perhaps the most important aspect of this concept is the perception we have of other people, especially those who do not seem to live according to the norm . Calling someone "unsociable" can be the product of a mere intention to describe them in a single word to speed up a conversation, but also of despising their attitude for not being "normal." The use of this and other terms that refer to peculiar lifestyles serve as weapons to reject them and reinforce mass ideas.