一个人吃饭会难过吗？

 Why do I feel sad when I see people eating alone?

为什么我看到有人单独吃饭的时候会觉得难过？

获得916好评的答案@John Burgess

Because you're projecting how you would feel if eating alone... sad.

因为你在设想如果你一个人吃饭会有什么感觉······就是难过。

Your feeling, however, may not be at all in accord with what the lone¹ diner is feeling. Introverts² in particular are quite happy eating by themselves. In fact, certain kinds of company can spoil the whole occasion.

但是，你的感觉可能与那位独食者的感觉完全不一样。尤其是性格内向的人，很喜欢一个人吃饭。实际上，某些同伴们反而会破坏整个氛围。

获得15好评的答案@Paul Zink

Most likely because you view dining as a social activity. That's fine, but for many — including me — it's an experience whose value lies primarily in the enjoyment³ of quality food, good service and the gracious ambiance of a good restaurant. I've dined alone in fine restaurants for decades with great satisfaction and no need or desire for company, which can often be a distraction⁴ from leisurely⁵ enjoyment of the dining experience.

大概是因为你把吃饭看作是一种社交活动。这没什么，但是对很多人来说（包括我），吃饭这种经历的价值主要是在于享受美味的食物、优质的服务以及优质餐厅里的美好氛围。几十年来我一直在一家很棒的餐馆一个人吃饭，对此非常满意，不需要、也不希望有人陪我，这只会让我从愉快的用餐享受中分心。

获得9好评的答案@John Stockwell

You are telling yourself a story as to why the person is eating alone. You are mind reading, or attempting to guess the situation of a person you know nothing about.

你给自己讲了个那人为什么单独吃饭的故事，你在猜测他的心理，或者尝试去猜测那个人的处境，尽管你对他一无所知。

That person might just want to have a bit of peace and quiet while eating. They need not be the social outcasts that you think they are.

那个人也许想在吃饭的时候享受片刻安宁，他们并不是你以为的那种社交的弃儿。

Or perhaps it is you who have the problem? Maybe you are afraid to be alone? Maybe you grew up with a lot of siblings⁶ and have been surrounded with family members and were taught that you have to have people around you all of the time? Maybe you are afraid of what you will hear in your mind, when the sounds of the world shut off, and you are left with only yourself for company?

或者有可能是你自己有这种问题？也许你很害怕独处？也许你有很多兄弟姐妹一起长大，一直以来都和家人在一起，也被教育说你应该一直和别人在一起？也许你害怕听到和整个世界隔绝开来并且只有自己一个人时你内心的声音？

1 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

2 introverts   

性格内向的人( introvert的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Extroverts tend to lack self-discipline while introverts lack courage. 性格外向的人缺乏自我约束力，而性格内向的人则缺乏勇气。
• I an introvert and introverts get drawn in. 我是个内向的人而且内向是天生的。

3 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

4 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

5 leisurely   

adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的

参考例句：

• We walked in a leisurely manner,looking in all the windows.我们慢悠悠地走着，看遍所有的橱窗。
• He had a leisurely breakfast and drove cheerfully to work.他从容的吃了早餐，高兴的开车去工作。

6 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分