Are there synonyms for "misanthrope" that have a positive connotation? I'm looking for a word that describes someone who prefers to be alone, although she occasionally attends social gatherings, frequently engages in philanthropy, and doesn't dislike humanity. This topic has been addressed before in the Forum. "Anthrophobe" was suggested; but, "phobe" has a negative connotation. I've found the word "isolate" (noun), which appears to be a neutral synonym. Is there no such thing as a happy misanthrope?

Soloist?

As the first part of the word comes from Greek misos = hatred it seems a bit odd: a happy hater.
We use a word straight from German : einzelganger (from Einzelgänger) that has a neutral connotation. There are pleasant as wel as unpleasant "lone-goers " and it could be disputable whether happiness should be a permanent state of being or just returning moments.

Cheers from a non-misanthropic einzelganger and HAPPY New Year!

loner
hermit
recluse
eremitic
solitary
anchorite
introvert
agoraphobe
claustrophile

Solitary, solitudinarian, lone hand, or lone wolf.

Hello and welcome hellerfan.
Hope you like what you find here, join us often: lots of good synonym above.
Happy New Year

While it has other denotations, philanthropic in its various forms would be an antonym. Also, since a misanthrope is usually cynical, an opposite could be optimistic.

Vaughn Hathaway

hell, yes welcome, we need you, the rest for some reason seem to be dying off

Tho we won't miss the misanthropes

Yes we do, we do miss the misanthropes, they got brains.

[quote]]

I've sort of thought since I joined this site that lots of people have died off.
Boredom. It says there are 6781 members with over 12,000 topics. But many have
just died for want of contribution. I like it here, however, and enjoy all
you folks, and am so appreciative for the help I've received over the months.
Blessed new year to you all.

We get a lot of what might be called drive-by posters, folks who come in with one question and are never heard of again. There are others who drop out through changed circumstances or a desire to leave the net entirely. Some change screen names for whatever reason. As far as I know we've only had one death, wwh, AKA Dr. Bill.

I love you and Luke and wold take you to dinner if I were single again and you lived closer

Yes, some Southwestern Sauerkraut with Australian "rollmop salad " (whatever that might be) would do nicely.

roll-mops are rolled pickled herring. Never saw one in a salad.

Would that be sauerkraut with frijoles negros y salsa enchilosa?

I see good possibilities in your responses: I could call myself a "soloist," but I'd have to keep explaining that I don't play a musical instrument. I'd be happy to call myself an "einzelganger," but I'd still have to go through all that explaining. (Of course, "doppelganger" is widely understood.) "Claustrophile" has great potential. As a word, I find it pleasing. However, it isn't perfectly accurate because I don't mind being alone in wide, open places.

How do you feel about a new English word? What's your opinion of "disanthrope"? It doesn't imply hatred, but disaffection is implied. I eagerly await your comments. Without your support, I'll have to go through life as a pleasant einzelganger.

Never saw one in a salad.

I have (link).

Never saw that either. We have them for sure, but they come in glass jars and we never use them in salads. Just bare from the bottle. : ) We call it " rolmops" meaning one though the 's' suggests plural. Plural would be rolmopsen or rolmopses. I love the look of your salad ; did you prepare that one yourself?
Looks great.


Disanthrope reminds me too much of "distrophy". Not really pleasant at all. I'd prefer the old fashioned einzelganger.

I love the look of your salad ; did you prepare that one yourself?

No. I found it on Flickr. But I've eaten something similar in Germany (link). Ah, there was an Imbissbude ('snack booth') in the Bonner Altmarkt that sold all kinds of herring. Takeaway, food truck, roach coach, friterie, frietkot, and other terms ...

Hah! Those words. They really make me laugh.
Frietkot is definitely Belgian. Language can be so much fun.

Well with almowt 12,000 posts I sure hope you are ataying.

Why thank you, and I'd gladly go to dinner. It would be fun, for my part
and I'm very appreciative.
Luke

I ran into a Spanglish term in New Jersey, la lonchería

[quote]

I like that word, disanthrope. I have so many trees planted in my yard no one can
see me from their houses and this is a city. I like being alone. Welcome to the
site.

Can we get frietkot at the la loncheria?

It's what we call rolled pickled herring fillets.
...a recipe for rollmop salad

From Wikipedia
"The name 'rollmops' is German and Dutch in origin [1][2], originating from the words rollen (to roll) and Mops (German name of pug dogs / "blockhead") [2]. In English usage, the word is sometimes treated as both singular and plural [2], but at other times as the plural of the singular "rollmop" [1]. (In German, Rollmops is singular with the umlaut-plural form Rollmöpse.)"