The word we use for "not us":
"Others."
A group of persons that aren't you.
A mass.
We say things like,
"I'd stay away from those people,"
as if they were a disease, or somehow unacceptable to society.
Or,
"Are you one of those people?"
as if it's a bad thing to be different.
What if those "people" weren't there by choice?
What if theyWere there by choice?
"People" is a silly word.
Call them strangers.
Call them folks, if you must.
But "people"?
"People" is pedestrian and easily misunderstood.
Ambiguous terms like;
"That group is particularly dangerous."
"Those new folks are a bit eccentric."
"Do you belong among that crowd?"
All far more colorful, and less derogatory.
"People" are dumb and unconnected.
Persons and strangers. . . are stories waiting to happen.