When Is it OK to Use the Word “social”

I don't like the word "social". I think it reduces people to being cans of Coke. You shake the can when you want it to get ready to fizz, and then open it, and then you've accomplished socializing.

I think people are way more than carbonated beverages.

But I do use the word social when conversing, because I know practically everyone except me is on board with this word.

When I am writing about something sensitive, I do not use this word. This is kind of like how I decide when it is okay to use profanity. There are some topics that require the utmost rigor, and using profanity in such situations is inappropriate. Similarly, using the word "social" in sensitive situations is an abandonment of your topic altogether. When you're explaining something profound, and you simultaneously reduce people to carbonated beverages, you betray your listeners.