From the outside my existence is boring. I stay inside all day. I don’t go out unless I have to because I’ve been bullied even as an adult for what I look like, so I just never go out to avoid people potentially judging me. I recently moved across the world and aside from my wife who works alot, I have no friends or family. I’m pretty much alone in the universe, tucked away in my corner.
I realized that’s why I read. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t go out and join a club or volunteer because of the language barrier. And I don’t have a passion that pulls me in like baking, gaming, or playing piano. So if I’m not studying or sitting here letting my mind run wild, I read. It’s like I get to be an observer in other peoples adventures and be entertained while the time passes.
What about you? Why do you read?
As someone who was horrendously bullied for years; I’d suggest doing things for yourself, and start brushing off people’s comments. It starts by taking care of your body. It sounds like you’re taking care of your mind fairly well; books are an excellent escape. Go to the gym. Walk/jog in nature. Build yourself up. You deserve it, and you’re much better than people pin you as. The damage bullying has done will never go away, but you can become much stronger from it.
Life is too short to spend serious amounts of time hung up on opinions from internet strangers.
Half of us are idiots.
Half of us are trolls.
Half of us can’t do math anyway.
And the last half is just in a bad mood and taking it out on strangers on the internet.
In any case, we all have literally a million better things to do than worry ‘what will people I don’t know think of me.’