Attending a cocktail party is, in fact, a very interesting yet utterly uninteresting affair. The essence of such gatherings is social interaction, and the essence of social interaction is the exchange of value. Consequently, disparities in value can lead to immense differences.
Do people think cocktail parties are a paradise for high-value guests? No, quite the contrary.
High-value guests tend to find them boring. They are forced to passively accept a great deal of inefficient socializing, wasting too much energy amidst sycophantic flattery for very little actual gain—akin to panning for gold in filth—in two words, super annoying.
Therefore, regardless of whether they are in China or abroad, bigwigs at cocktail parties are invariably reserved and aloof. They arrive late, leave early, have their core circles protected by gatekeepers, and depart as soon as their primary business is concluded.
