Alone but not lonely...or not lonely but alone?

[dream magician]

Which do you prefer?
☻ Alone but not lonely or
☻ Not lonely but alone?
Enjoy!!!^^

*I don't think this question is stupid, so please.... answer it.^^

[Daenerys]

They're both the same thing..

If you're alone and not lonely, then clearly you are also not lonely, and alone.

[dream magician]

No, it isn;t.^^
lonely means you are alone and feelings matter, typically when you're lonely, you're sad.
Being alone means you don't have any company. Some people like being alone cause they hate company, and when they like being alone, they won't feel lonely at all.
See the differences?
*oh, i hope i didn't gave much of it away ^x^

[allaboutyou3678]

I till see them as the same thing, but ether way I'm always lonely and always alone so. Your second post make it more clear, but the original wording just seems you saying do you like being alone and not lonely or doing you like being not lonely and not alone.

[John Watson]

I prefer "alone but not lonely" I think this question is perfectly confusing...but still mangages to make sense. ^_^ ~Lali♥

[Daenerys]

No... they're the same thing, you're just trying to be philosophical and somewhat failing.

[dream magician]

Oh, okay then. it was actually a question from a pageant i've watched yesterday,i just can't get over the question.

[Hideki Motosuwa.]

I'm used to being alone, but I don't feel lonely. I'm a loner anyways. I'd go with, alone, but not lonely.

[Hypergraphian]

No... they're the same thing, you're just trying to be philosophical and somewhat failing.

Agreed with Dorian, its the same thing.

1) "Alone but not lonely" - Means that you have no one around you but you do not feel lonely

2) "Not lonely but alone" - Means that you do not feel lonely but you have no one around you.

In both the above, you have no one around you and you do not feel lonely. Hence I conclude, it's the same thing. If it was asked in the pageant perhaps it was to test her grammar comprehension.

[Ωmega]

Its supposed to be

'Alone but not lonely, or lonely but not alone'

I.E would you prefer to have no one and be fine, or be surrounded by people and feel alone.

[Daenerys]

Its supposed to be

'Alone but not lonely, or lonely but not alone'

I.E would you prefer to have no one and be fine, or be surrounded by people and feel alone.

That was my point, lol. I was like um srsly.

[Hypergraphian]

Let's examine the situations then :-

a) Alone but not lonely - likes to be alone and not being able to feel lonely - This means that when surrounded by people, he/she will be more miserable than being left alone

b) Lonely but not alone - Has people around but feels lonely - This means that when surrounded by people, he/she will still be miserable

A conclusion from the above, in both situations, when the person is surrounded by people, they'd still be miserable.

I think the real root to this question is this :-

Are you happier alone? Or are you happier when people are around you?

For me it depends on my moods, when I need time to do my own things I'd rather be alone. But when I feel like partying I'd prefer if I get a group of 10 friends to come along.

[~*Red*~]

Okay then. Sometimes I prefer to be by myself and other times I prefer to be with my friends.

[Sagat]

I prefer to be alone, even with friends. I only let people know so much of me, so I guess I am alone however I am not lonely. Even if I had no friends.

[Eris]

They are the same. Let P be "alone", and Q be "not lonely". The question being asked is 'P but Q or Q but P'. However, "but" is commutative. Therefore, P but Q <=> Q but P.

[John Watson]

OK! Since Im WRONG about everything!!!! I pick none since they're both the same thing!! >:[ Dammit.

[.Lovebeat]

I'd rather be alone than lonely. I'm usually alone during school days but I have friends and such so I'm not lonely at least.

It does feel that alone = lonely though...

[Baka]

Alone, but not lonely.

[Tayuya+]

Alone but not lonely. The second one implies that you're sad.

[King_Shadow89]

yOU GOT TO LOVE dorian grey

I am a lone but but lonely.

[Et cetera]

Alone and lonely are very similar, definition wise.
Moreover, the synonym of alone is lonely and vice versa.

Meh, oh well, I guess I rather be alone but not lonely.

[Kariya The Wind]

Alone but not lonely.
And these are the same things but reversed. >_>;

[Asriel]

Since there parctically teh same thing is there any reason to answer the question =_=.

[Sanosuke23]

I dunno, I'm always lonely and alone.

/wrists

[Shia_san]

They aren't the same. alone means that you want no one to be with you. Lonely means that you wish you had someone with you. I'd choose the first one: Alone but not lonely.