As a loner myself, the name says it all - alone. Being alone is very sad and it's a hard life. I don't understand why someone would choose it though you say you have a lot of friends, and I'm sure that takes an edge off of it. (Sadly, I do not have a lot of friends.)

You also mention your fears. Especially, your fear of hurting others by just being you. I am sure there is someone out there who will accept and love you as you are. Someone who you would take extra care not to hurt.

I think it's worth a try to overcome your fear of relationships. You deserve a life! You are not that odd! Want to see odd? Go to an Occupy Wall Street protest! Damn the fates - have a life!!!

I truly believe that having a relationship will help you with your political / philosophical endeavors because, being a more fully realized person, you will be able to incorporate the hows and whys of personal, loving relationships into your belief system. Political systems, philosophies and religions that do not incorporate or understand the basic humanity in the differences of all people and the need for acceptance by all of us foster deficient, dangerous belief systems. So, while you are already very knowledgeable, depriving yourself of perhaps the most elemental human experience of lasting love - a deeper experience of friendship - will only enhance your life as well as your belief systems.

(P.S.: Have you studied futurism? It's a great enhancement to political / philosophical studies.)