Humans need intimacy. It's not really optional for us, we're social animals.

[even as a self-confessed person who didn't belong with other people. he frowns a little to hear tech describe it that way, not because he was wrong, but because it felt like an unintentional judgment against him. what he got up to in his spare time... he made it sound like it was indiscretion. that it tarnished him somehow.]

It sets us apart from gods, who act independently. Humanity has always acted together. And we're much, much stronger for it.

[and just as tech was disappointed by rejection, he was disappointed by such a narrow perspective.]