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Introvert? Extrovert? Both?
Sep. 7th, 2015 10:58 amGeorge Takei shared the link/list I'm sharing below, and it made me curious. Are you an introvert, or an extrovert? Do social situations recharge you, or drain you? I'm curious to know what my online friends consider themselves. Sometimes I can guess, sometimes I cannot.
I'm an introvert who lives with an extrovert. There are many things I admire about his extroverted and often fearless ways. He is a risk-taker, and I'm a risk-avoider. I avoid confrontation, and he charges right in when necessary. He tries to understand me. He is my protector. With me he has had to deal with #18 on the list below, amongst many others, on an almost-daily basis and still we've managed to stay together for 8 years.
Why has no one made an extrovert list? You guys can be equally as weird and annoying.
I think that many (not all) extroverts consider themselves to be "normal" and consider introverts to be "abnormal" and in need of fixing. I think that introverts consider everyone to be "abnormal" in some way or another. As children we are often picked on and misunderstood, even by our own families. For instance, my mother was an extrovert, and my father an introvert. Mom would say things like "Toughen up! You have to grow a thick skin and stop being so sensitive", and dad would say things like "you have a talent and you really should do something with it." The extroverted parent was constantly trying to force me to be something I wasn't, because she didn't understand me, while the introverted parent understood me and tried to encourage me to be more of what I already was. Both had unique parenting skills that created an odd balance, and while mom's way was more harsh, she was just trying to protect me from the big, bad world she knew her overly sensitive daughter would one day be thrown into.
Back to the list below. #1 -- I do hate it when my phone rings. Yes, HATE. Do we really have to take our conversation to that level of small talk? Isn't texting and emailing good enough? Don't even think about knocking on my door. I won't answer unless I a) know you well, b) I'm expecting you, c) you're UPS and need my signature on the package of that cool item I've been waiting for.
The Internet offers a completely different set of communication rules that are easier for introverts to deal with. I actually have groups I've created and maintain - an online fan club, crafting group, etc., because that sort of communication is not demanding of my immediate attention or very much mental preparation, and I can respond when I feel like it. This is why I'm on Facebook and Twitter so much.
If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you know that I often live stream, so you may ask "But, Beth, if you're an introvert how can you LIVE STREAM so comfortably?" If you've watched me live stream on the Meerkat app and Ustream you know the content/attention is always on something other than myself. You see my hands and arms when I'm at my workbench, not my face. The attention is on what I'm making, not me, so I can comfortably talk for hours. Also, I cannot actually SEE the people who are watching me. I can see how many are watching the stream, and I can see their comments and interact with them, but there is no face-to-face communication.
So, how about you? Inquiring minds want to know.
30 Problems That Only Introverts Will Understand
I'm an introvert who lives with an extrovert. There are many things I admire about his extroverted and often fearless ways. He is a risk-taker, and I'm a risk-avoider. I avoid confrontation, and he charges right in when necessary. He tries to understand me. He is my protector. With me he has had to deal with #18 on the list below, amongst many others, on an almost-daily basis and still we've managed to stay together for 8 years.
Why has no one made an extrovert list? You guys can be equally as weird and annoying.
I think that many (not all) extroverts consider themselves to be "normal" and consider introverts to be "abnormal" and in need of fixing. I think that introverts consider everyone to be "abnormal" in some way or another. As children we are often picked on and misunderstood, even by our own families. For instance, my mother was an extrovert, and my father an introvert. Mom would say things like "Toughen up! You have to grow a thick skin and stop being so sensitive", and dad would say things like "you have a talent and you really should do something with it." The extroverted parent was constantly trying to force me to be something I wasn't, because she didn't understand me, while the introverted parent understood me and tried to encourage me to be more of what I already was. Both had unique parenting skills that created an odd balance, and while mom's way was more harsh, she was just trying to protect me from the big, bad world she knew her overly sensitive daughter would one day be thrown into.
Back to the list below. #1 -- I do hate it when my phone rings. Yes, HATE. Do we really have to take our conversation to that level of small talk? Isn't texting and emailing good enough? Don't even think about knocking on my door. I won't answer unless I a) know you well, b) I'm expecting you, c) you're UPS and need my signature on the package of that cool item I've been waiting for.
The Internet offers a completely different set of communication rules that are easier for introverts to deal with. I actually have groups I've created and maintain - an online fan club, crafting group, etc., because that sort of communication is not demanding of my immediate attention or very much mental preparation, and I can respond when I feel like it. This is why I'm on Facebook and Twitter so much.
If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you know that I often live stream, so you may ask "But, Beth, if you're an introvert how can you LIVE STREAM so comfortably?" If you've watched me live stream on the Meerkat app and Ustream you know the content/attention is always on something other than myself. You see my hands and arms when I'm at my workbench, not my face. The attention is on what I'm making, not me, so I can comfortably talk for hours. Also, I cannot actually SEE the people who are watching me. I can see how many are watching the stream, and I can see their comments and interact with them, but there is no face-to-face communication.
So, how about you? Inquiring minds want to know.
30 Problems That Only Introverts Will Understand
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