Friends

Too hard to get someone to call an outcast, when he has friends. Dylan was at least 3 fairly close friends (Zach, Nate and Eric). There were other friends, such as Brooks, Devon, Robin. And a lot of other people after the tragedy considered themselves friends of the boys. Why he considers himself an outcast? The reason was the depression? Could the depression to change his mind, his perception of the world and himself? Maybe he was too high demands on themselves, perfectionism (as suggested by Susan in her book). It seems like Dylan compares himself with others and feels that he is inferior to them in something that is highly valued in society.

That's what depression is all about. You always feel alone no matter what. It's always a grey cloud hovering over your head.
Although I doubt I'll equivalate feeling alone and empty to feeling like an outcast. Outcast is solely like a social issue and like, not fitting in but what Dylan went through was much deeper than that as in no matter where he goes he always feels alone. You can have a big group of friends who care about you and still feel alone, sometimes not knowing why when you don't have any problems.

Love wrote:

It seems like Dylan compares himself with others and feels that he is inferior to them in something that is highly valued in society.

At this part I think he shares this thought with Eric. Eric definitely feels like that even though he tells himself he's much more superior than everybody else.

I think it was a combination of things. I think that yes his depression clouded his judgement and made him feel alone, but I also think that he didn't really care for those that called themselves his friends. I don't know that they were good enough for him. Just like Robyn wasn't the type of girl he wanted to date, I feel like to some extent some of his friends were not good enough to get close to him.

Then again I do feel like Dylan was a one friend type guy. He seemed to latch onto someone and block everyone else out. First it was Zach, then it was Eric. No one else really mattered save that one friend.

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Maybe Dylan was inclined to idealize relationships. Perfect friendship, true love. When looking from the side at other people, it may seem that they are all fine, great. Maybe he wanted something such as perfect, what makes all these people happy (because they look happy). Since he didn't have a lot of experience (he wasn't at the top of popularity), then it can be represented as it should be. What should be (or can be) is not always what really is. This is when dreams crash against the harsh reality. Although in the case of Dylan, the reality was not so terrible but didn't live up to his ideals.
I wonder what Dylan himself picked on one boy in school who had no friends (except Rachel, who pitied him), making his life even more unbearable. Don't know, maybe he was just relieved that someone was worse than him.