Whenever I walk into a room, no one knows who I am. There's no "star" power here: no major accomplishments, no wowing people with my wit or intellect, and no social pull. I'm unassuming, unimposing, and I love it. While this may go against the human need for status, I've found that this laid-back attitude towards it has helped in sussing out who the best people to interact with are.

You can tell a lot about a person by how they treat those they view as dumber than themselves. Increasingly, I've become more confident in asking "stupid" questions for my own sake, but previously I used it as a means to quickly form an opinion about a person. I would ask a "stupid" question or make a ridiculous remark and gauge their reactions. In hindsight, this isn't the healthiest way to approach building relationships (I've stopped doing it), but it does work. I used this method on many so-called effective altruists and found their altruism only extended to unborn citizens hundreds of years into the future.

Anonymity also helps in building stronger relationships. No one ever wants anything from me except to learn more about me and vice versa; this is a luxury that some people have a hard time affording. I'm truly blessed to be able to build relationships unencumbered.