Introverts - What They Are and Aren't - Page 3

winamac1 · ‎12-29-2010

@Moonchilde wrote:
Have been thinking about this with all the 'does this/that bother you' and 'would you do this/that' threads lately (all interesting). It got me musing on what peoples' perceptions are of both introverts and extroverts, and how many of those perceptions and ideas are right, and how many are wrong. Since I'm an Introvert I can mostly speak to that, but it would be great if someone felt motivated to start an Extrovert POV thread too.

I think a very common misconception is that introverts are meek, mild, shy creatures who keep to themselves and are invariably weenies in their interactions with others and can easily be bullied and fooled. Bwahaha!

I have never been shy, just quiet - and among good friends I feel comfortable with, am very social. With strangers or acquaintances, not very social, with a limit to how much small talk I will participate in.

As for being fooled - introverts are *readers.* We tend to research things by our nature. Well before the Internet made it easier, we used the library.

What other misconceptions do you think people have about Introverts, and what do you wish people knew about them?

One of my best friends invited me over Saturday night. She was having a couple other girls over as well. I told her "thanks...I'll stay home". DH and I made dinner and I watched something on TV. I was perfectly content not going. I had been out Thursday and Friday night and needed some alone time.

"friends don't let friends drink white zinfandel"

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@winamac1, yes, the US has traditionally been a country of extroverts. In Japan and Sweden, just to name two countries, we would be in the majority.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

FLgardener · ‎12-15-2013

@Moonchilde wrote:
@FLgardener wrote:
Being an introvert is a personality type, not a defect that needs to be fixed.

LOL - who said it was? Not me, although many Extroverts look on it as such.

I was just giving my thought on how we introverts are sometimes misperceived. Even my own family members have trouble understanding me at times.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

So, a question - how many who strongly self-identify as one or the other, Introvert or Extrovert, have taken or been given any tests (longer than 5-10 questions) at work, in college, or online just because you were curious - to verify that? Or do you just "feel/think" you are one or the other because it's what people have always told you, or you believe it's accurate based on typical descriptions you've read?

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

ECBG · ‎01-08-2011

@MoonchildeActually when you wrote this:

".....- and among good friends I feel comfortable with, am very social. With strangers or acquaintances, not very social, with a limit to how much small talk I will participate in.

You just described one facet of an introvert.

Being an introvert in no way means they aren't as multifaceted as extroverts. Actually introverts are much more interesting because often times you don't get the deep truth without careful questioning.

In relationships, "Still waters run deep" has been a phraise to describe a more introverted person and in the right surroundings or romance they become more outgoing.

In contrast, with an extrovert, they will often tell you what they're thinking with general questioning. They are the ones who are often described as a person "who never met a stranger".

Twenty percent of a child's personality is inborn. Eighty percent is learned.

kitty45 · ‎11-05-2011

I am both an introvert & very shy. Growing up people thought i was stuck up. The other misconception is that people tend to think I'm a certain way & are surprised when they find out I'm the opposite.

Some people describe me as "keeping to myself" or a "loner". I really hate that word. Just because some of us would rather be home with a book & our pets doesn't make us "loners".

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@FLgardener wrote:
@Moonchilde wrote:
@FLgardener wrote:
Being an introvert is a personality type, not a defect that needs to be fixed.

LOL - who said it was? Not me, although many Extroverts look on it as such.
I was just giving my thought on how we introverts are sometimes misperceived. Even my own family members have trouble understanding me at times.

Yep. I hoped that at least in part, we would share those misperceptions here, and maaaaybe a wandering Extrovert would have a misconception busted ;-)

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

HomeShoppingLover87 · ‎08-06-2013

As a pretty extreme introvert, I find myself irked by people incorrectly categorizing who is and isn't an introvert. This very annoying (and extroverted) person I barely knew at the time once (loudly) balked at the idea that I could be an introvert because I'm known to be opinionated. As though "introvert" is a synonym for "easygoing" or even "spineless."

Similarly, I've known several people who have clearly never taken an actual personality test about this subject or done any research on it, but almost seem to think it's cool to say they're an introvert based on the fact that sometimes they want to be alone. News flash: Unless you are severely needy, everyone wants to be alone sometimes. As far as I understand it, introversion vs. extroversion is more about how often you want to be alone or be social.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@kitty45 wrote:
I am both an introvert & very shy. Growing up people thought i was stuck up. The other misconception is that people tend to think I'm a certain way & are surprised when they find out I'm the opposite.
Some people describe me as "keeping to myself" or a "loner". I really hate that word. Just because some of us would rather be home with a book & our pets doesn't make us "loners".

I have no problem with being considered a loner by others; I am - but it doesn't have to mean totally alone, always

Life without Mexican food is no life at all