I’ve noticed something on social media: people who are simply looking for connection often get dismissed as “just wanting attention.” Memes and comments pop up telling folks to stop seeking validation online, and it ends up shaming people into silence. The problem is, wanting company and wanting attention aren’t the same thing. Company is about presence, about not feeling alone in the vastness of our days. Attention is about being noticed or validated. They can overlap, but they’re not interchangeable.

When we collapse the two into one, we discourage genuine connection. People who might have reached out for companionship instead withdraw, and the space grows colder and more disconnected. I think it’s worth saying clearly: wanting company and connection is human. It doesn’t mean you’re attention-seeking, it means you’re alive and reaching for others. And there’s nothing wrong with that.