Do you seek connections with marginalized people?

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Very good point. The word 'pity' is a very loaded one, and often misused. The best definition of pity I've ever come across is by the Austrian writer, Stefan Zweig, and comes at the beginning of his novel 'Die Ungeduld des Herzens', usually translated as 'Beware of Pity':

'There are two kinds of pity. One is the weak and sentimental kind, which is actually no more than the heart’s impatience to rid itself as swiftly as possible of the painful emotion that is aroused by the sight of another person’s unhappiness, the pity that is not compassion but only an instinctive desire to fortify our own soul against the sufferings of another; and then there is the other pity, the only one that counts, the unsentimental but creative kind which knows what it is about and is determined to hold out, in patience and forbearance, to the very limit of its strength and even beyond'.

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I relate best to other people who have been through difficult situations, because I know what it's like. But I have trouble distinguishing between people who have 'healthy' attitudes toward dealing with their problems, vs. 'unhealthy' ones.

I struggle with knowing how to feel about someone who is clearly in pain and desperately in need of help, but at the same time is refusing the help that's available to them, and instead continues to make terrible life choices. I have trouble drawing the line, and saying 'this person is not deserving of my compassion'.

But as to the title question - in reality I don't seek connections with anyone, which I suppose is how I protect myself from that whole issue.

No. If I'm going to make friends it will not be someone who isn't useful. But if they are marginalised but are also good people then yes I might.