You're right of course - none of us should ever feel that we're of any importance to anybody, that anyone might enjoy our company, find our conversation interesting, that we have anything to contribute to others. And certainly we all have a duty to sneer at any weakling who would expose any such fellow-feeling as to say good-bye when leaving the presence of those they've spent a great deal of time with ...

It's every man for himself, and devil take the hindmost.