Social needs. Although she doesn't like them, she needs them in her life. Making new friends is not easy.
And also, talking **** about them doesn't mean that she doesn't like them. It may make her feel better, in a verbalizing way, proving that she is doing fine. At that point, I don't know your mother's situation, there may be several reasons for doing that.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.