And? It doesn't matter why Clark has been written this way. This is the way he's usually been characterized for eight decades across multiple versions and continuities and adaptations. Therefore, that is his character. Clark's character is what is on the page/screen, not why it's there or what someone wishes it were instead.
I understand the reasoning behind this particular personality trait (seriously, it's not rocket science, you're not explaining anything anyone here doesn't already know). But the reasoning is a non-issue; the end result is that Clark struggles with family. Whatever DC's reasons for it, whether someone likes it or not.....it doesn't matter. And if DC wants to change it, and they want to actually do a good job of transitioning Clark from one personality trait to another, they have to work to make that happen and earn it, not write him out of character and hand wave it away with some stupid "oh you just never saw it" nonsense.
Using examples is a poor choice in debate, but here's one anyway. Let's say the next issue of Flash has Barry Allen drinking at bars, being loud and obnoxious and starting fist fights. Let's say it comes out of nowhere; there's no meaningful build-up except a caption on the first page that says "Barry spent ten years lost in time and he became a redneck drunk" but we never got to see that happen and we never experienced this shift in his character. Would that be okay? Would fans accept that? No. They'd demand, at the very least, some flashbacks that showed why and how he changed so much. So why is it okay to break Clark's character the same way? Just because you happen to like it more? That's a slippery slope.
In any event, I feel like I've contributed to a lot of de-railing in this thread and the only rebuttals I've seen is "I like it this way more" which isn't worth squat and has nothing to do with characterization. I apologize for cluttering the thread with this, and I'm finished with it. Unless someone shows up with actual analysis that provides a real counter argument and not just "I like it like this" I'm not going to contribute further to de-railing a thread that's about the current run and not Clark's overall historic characterization. But I want to make it clear that I got no beef with any of you; we disagree here but that's okay and I still got nothing but respect for my fellow fans....even if you are wrong.
(joking)