Who fits in with their families? Is there a phenomenon that dictates how the younger generations in a family don't quite match up with the rest of their family? And does it affect every subsequent generation?

During family gatherings, do you ever notice how one person falls silent at the table or in the corner? One person doesn't join in with the main conversation, one person does not share the jokes and other ongoings. Sometimes one relative will notice this and engage the silent/withdrawn on in a more personal, more private conversation. The silent/withdrawn one feels out of place and a bit lost in a sea of familiar faces who share bloodlines and genetic makeup and in most cases, scores of childhood memories. One may find the ostracized family member watching television, quietly sipping coffee while staring out a window, reading a newspaper, magazine, or book, playing solitaire, or attempting to fill the communication void by talking with the ever-present children.

It must be obvious to everyone else that one person is not quite fitting in, right? Or is that the main problem, that the rest of the relatives, in their shared communications, fail to notice the silent/withdrawn one?