For some reason, I remember an easier time in terms of meeting new people and the ways we communicated with them. We had the ability and power to express ourselves whether privately or in public. There was no stigma in the social realm that would prohibit us otherwise, unlike today.

Right now in 2013, there are things we can no longer do unless it’s done in the right manner and it’s seen through the right eyes. For instance, there used to be a time when people hitchhiked their way across the country and drivers were willing to take them along. It was known as an “American thing” to borrow a ride from a complete stranger because the journey of the trip encapsulates the whole experience.

Amid all the kidnappings and dangers we now know, hitchhiking seems to be a thing of the past. Nobody really waits at the side of the road holding their thumbs up for a stranger anymore, because that would be considered stupid and unsafe to do. Even offering a ride to people would seem pretty suspicious against drivers these days. There goes the first item on my to-do-list.

Also, the one thing that men especially are not allowed to do anymore is the innocent act of observing little children play. There used to be a time when the stigma of it all was not prevalent and the act of watching children play on the playground was still innocent. Today, if a man is just watching kids behind a fence, that guy would be arrested in no time for possible sexual intent. That doesn’t even include men who are just plain friendly around kids and like them for who they are. The stigma is just too strong now to let something harmless like that happen within children. Parents these days want the extra protection they can get around their loved ones.

Lastly, this might seem on the fence for now, but the act of buying a drink for someone has been stigmatized in a way that it looks suspicious at first. We’re all social animals in one way or another, and when we’re in a club or a bar, we tend to break the ice with the opposite number by buying him or her a drink. The problem is: it might look dangerous if you are the one handing them the drink instead of the bartender. There have been countless instances of roofied-up drinks served to young women, who are later taken advantage of in some guy’s apartment or even in the club or bar. It is especially dangerous for women these days to just accept drinks from any guy, which is the reason that it only works if the bartender serves it.

It’s difficult to be social in our cautious and suspicious world today because intentions are unknown and all the mystery and fun are gone. So what’s a social animal to do?