How do I do anything (not clueless, just...)?

[Eemerald]

honestly it purely bad luck.
The community may have it's fair share of asshats who will just randomly kill you for no reason, or petty reasons, but not all.
I started a hermit character this world, and I afk along rivers, and I travelled and foraged and met people, and the first lot I met offered me a place to live and the someone else advised me to afk on a river Neither tried to attack me.

I found an unclaimed house near a cave, so I set up a little camp there and apart from my hf being destroyed which was no big deal, no one tried to steal any of my newby crap or do anything to the base which doesn't even have a fence round it.

just keep trying, it's a great game, and u will find great people. good luck

[Gallade]

It's advised that you look in the "Dwarves and Thieves" section for a village, if you feel like trading greatly increased chances of survival for your commitment to them.