Because I don’t, and pretending to feels dishonest. I’ll listen if they want to talk about it, but I’m not going to act interested, and I certainly won’t ask about it on my own. What I’m trying to figure out is whether people actually care, or if they’re just playing a social game that I’m simply not interested in.
I’m probably on the autistic spectrum, which likely explains this to some extent. But that’s not an excuse - being an asshole is perfectly compatible with autism, so before dunking on me, please realise I probably agree with your criticism.
Sometimes yes, I just do the minimal required that shows I care. But I often times do not care because I don’t need the subtle reminder that their lives are going along better than mine. My life is in micromanagement hell, where I’m just biding time until I die pretty much. I barely enjoy things and whatnot. So if I were to fully celebrate milestones friends are celebrating to me it’d be like a knock against my own life.
So I don’t but I also don’t make it known to them out of respect. If they had to ask for the honest truth about how much I care, then it’s on them for asking because I’d give them that truth.