Socialized or Sociable?

Do we want our children to be little socialists?  Or, do we want them to be sociable? What is the difference?  Joel Salatin in Family Friendly Farming recounts author Rick Boyer’s perspective on the difference between socialization and being sociable. According to Boyer, socialization is social mimicry – conforming, becoming an indistinguishable part of a larger group. Being sociable is having social skills; holding polite conversations, not just with children of the same age, but with a wide variety of people.