Aloof means "at a distance," and not close. Shyness is often the result of being
aloof. An aloof person usually needs
tunnel vision for the tranquility and happiness to block out and ignore distractions that undermine his or her concentration. Yet, there are valid reasons to be aloof: such as, studying, work, or to maintain the structure of control within an organization or industry by
filtering out and blocking unwanted contact.
The word
aloof is often bandied about as a negative label as a way to attack
an unwanted person by making them feel that it is his or her fault for being unwanted. An aloof person is likely to be more "things-oriented," rather than "people-oriented," but that is not proof that an aloof person is not equally capable of socializing--just not equally interested in doing so because people don't
innovate or get rich by being the life of a party.
