Rants, Raves, and Rhetoric v4

Introvert Myths

Go away or I will replace you with a very small shell script.
Go away or I will replace you with a very small shell script.

This Huffington Post piece, 6 Things You Thought Wrong About Introverts is not terrible. It covers these myths about introverts.

  1. All introverts are shy — and all shy people are introverts.
  2. Introverts don’t like to be around people. (Anti-social)
  3. Introverts don’t make good leaders or public speakers.
  4. Introverts have more negative personalities. (Depression)
  5. Introverts are more intellectual or creative than extroverts.
  6. It’s easy to tell whether someone is introverted or extroverted.

I have been an introvert for as long as I can remember. Happiness to me at even age 5 was playing alone with my toys. Later it was reading, playing video games, walking, or driving while alone. I did not need anyone else. Especially as I would hold all parts of the conversation either aloud or in my head.

Using me as an exemplar of introversion is probably also a mistake. It probably contributes to people incorrectly associating several of these myths with introverts. I make it no secret I am one. Some examples… Until I grow comfortable around others, good luck getting subject-verb-object or more complex sentences out of me (#1). Avoiding others is my specialty (#2). Blogging is a method by which I short-circuit my tendency to ruminate on everything (#4).

This other article, Caring for Your Introvert, is a must read. It starts:

Do you know someone who needs hours alone every day? Who loves quiet conversations about feelings or ideas, and can give a dynamite presentation to a big audience, but seems awkward in groups and maladroit at small talk? Who has to be dragged to parties and then needs the rest of the day to recuperate? Who growls or scowls or grunts or winces when accosted with pleasantries by people who are just trying to be nice?

A couple decades ago, I went hermit from my friends. Rumors of my grand depression

Comments

3 responses to “Introvert Myths”

  1. Sam Rowe Avatar
    Sam Rowe

    A quick point, people who don’t like to be around large groups of people are asocial, not anti-social. People who are anti-social are or want to be killers and such.

    1. Ezra S F Avatar

      Correct. But I’ve given up getting anyone else to believe me.

  2. Ezra S F Avatar

    A similar list from http://elibishop.com/2011/07/27/10-myths-about-introverts/

    #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
    #2 – Introverts are shy.
    #3 – Introverts are rude.
    #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
    #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
    #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
    #7 – Introverts are weird.
    #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
    #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
    #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.

Leave a Reply to Sam RoweCancel reply