There are assignments on the life and ministry school now where they are suggested to just talk to people without giving a witness.
It is true, JW's don't know how to just converse with a non-believer, to be just a real person. Can you imagine they have to learn this! But it's true. After decades of indoctrination of "them and us", be separate, they are now being taught the opposite.
I agree with the whole social thing. I was with a JW relative and their friend, along with my non JW relatives last week. It was really weird. The friend, used to be BFF, talked to me for 1 1/2 hrs afterward and basically caught me up on all the travel and interesting things they are doing in the social "club."
It keeps them in. And that's what the corporation needs.