E vs. I - Not About Socializing

[Darkéy]

Well, you're half way there--the I/E stat actually just tells us which of the two primary functions you give more priority to. Since the outer world doesn't really see or interact with one's introverted functions, being dominant in an introverted function causes one to appear more socially withdrawn.

In my opinion this sums it up quite well in that it's equally important the relationship e/i have with the outside world as the world interacting with them. The e/i's perspective on the social interaction for example will generally vary from what others may perceive of it.

Bringing us back to talk of energy and where e/i may find the source of their energy, stimulus, or motivation (for want of a more definitive word for it) as an introvert I do find certain social contexts invigorating and might go so far as to say give me energy, but others conversely I find quite draining and do require 'me-time' to recharge. Thus to some of my friends I may seem quite sociable and others quite the opposite but that's not to say I find either less enjoyable than the other, more that the approach I have to each and what I take/give to the given situations may vary. This I suppose is due to the size of the social group, or whether it's a different environment than I am used to etc.

Also to what jenocide said; yes, I do think that's definitely part of it and I find myself that I get very little done when I'm in a busy environment, though I do enjoy being alone with music to work and find it can motivate me more than working in silence. I guess it's partly dependent on my frame of mind at the time, and to a certain degree my locale. Living in a busy city generally means there isn't much in terms of silence so it's more replacing noise with music to a degree. Such that if I happen to be in the countryside or a quiet part of London (!) I find it much more relaxing (and at the same time productive) to embrace the silence around me.

Hopefully my 2 cents is relevant or at least slightly made sense! If not, at least you got 2 cents from it!

X.

 

[Lily Bart]

This is a great post -- I, too, get sick of the social/anti-social dichotomy. But I've always been uncomfortable with the "get their energy" yardstick because I'm not sure what that means because I can get energized or excited or enthused or whatever word you want to use just as much by things that happen in the outside world as I can by what's going on in my brain. I've always liked the illustration used by Paul & Barbara Tieger (I think they might have got it from Isabel Myers) about the General and the Aide. The General is your primary function and the Aide is your auxilliary function. In introverts, the General plans his battles from inside the tent while the Aide deals with visitors outside the tent. In extroverts, the General is outside the tent working where everyone can see him and the Aide is inside. What this attempts to illustrate is that with extroverts, it's pretty easy to find out what's important to them but with introverts, you may have to get past the Aide and inside the tent to find out what's really going on.

 

[Quinlan]

I like that. ^

 

[BlueScreen]

One of the best posts in a while. If only all of the extraverts claiming to be introverted would read this. Including, and especially, the ENxPs

But we do get it from internal things. That is why more reliable sources started the labelling of us as that. We go nuts without the introverted side, have days with no interest in conversation. It can be hard to see this when we are out in the world interacting with our surroundings, but I can totally reenergise with just myself and the silence. And you see the results of it on here a lot; we are the only two extroverted types that are common on the board, which could be put down to interest in psychology, but I still think the introverted side plays a part.

 

[Lady_X]

it's true...i have days where i just don't want to leave my house for anything...won't answer my phone...won't even go out if i need something...and then i have days where i HAVE to get out even if it's just to walk around somewhere.

 

[Darkéy]

I like that. ^

I think the General and Aide analogy describes the I inside the E and vice versa quite well.

X.

 

[Lauren Ashley]

But we do get it from internal things. That is why more reliable sources started the labelling of us as that. We go nuts without the introverted side, have days with no interest in conversation. It can be hard to see this when we are out in the world interacting with our surroundings, but I can totally reenergise with just myself and the silence. And you see the results of it on here a lot; we are the only two extroverted types that are common on the board, which could be put down to interest in psychology, but I still think the introverted side plays a part.

it's true...i have days where i just don't want to leave my house for anything...won't answer my phone...won't even go out if i need something...and then i have days where i HAVE to get out even if it's just to walk around somewhere.

No convincing you guys then, I guess

 

[Nonsensical]

Wonka..you're right on. The common misconception of whether somebody is social and talkative or not hardly defines I/E at all. I know plenty of very very social and talkative Introverts.

 

[booyalab]

I'm not sure I understand these responses.

Notice how they're all sensors?

Sure, the E/I difference is more than just preference for social interaction vs isolation, but just because someone prefers the outside world to the world of ideas doesn't mean they're an extravert either. Most ISTPs would probably rather work on their car than read a book but they still get exhausted more easily at a social gathering and don't tend to socialize outside of their group of friends as much as an ESTP.

 

[Lady_X]

No convincing you guys then, I guess

why do you wanna convince someone of that? i don't get it it...and i just read my nojari thing...some of you people think i'm loud! i am so not loud.

 

[Lauren Ashley]

why do you wanna convince someone of that? i don't get it it...and i just read my nojari thing...some of you people think i'm loud! i am so not loud.

I'm not really interested in convincing you, just sayin'

 

[Nonsensical]

How can you guys disagree with this definition? It is the foundation upon which Introversion and Extroversion were founded. Sure, you may not understand it, but it doesn't mean it's wrong? It means that your observation and idea of the definition is wrong.

It's in all the MBTI books, and over the web. Go look it up if you don't understand it.

 

[Jaguar]

Why didn't I think of that.
Sure.

If it's in the MBTI books, then it simply must be true.
Question nothing.
You are not allowed to have independent thought.
You must think only the thoughts of those who have gone before you.

 

[BlueScreen]

Well, MBTi books might not be reliable, but a word means what it is defined as meaning; there isn't really room for debating that. If we want to say something else, we use a different word.

 

[OrangeAppled]

I know plenty of very very social and talkative Introverts.

We can be in bursts, in the right setting, and on topics that we have many thoughts on.

The difference is, for every 10 minutes I am that way, it seems I need 20 to recover, no matter how enjoyable the exchange is. It's like an orgasm, there's this woozy afterglow period in which I just want to nap .
It feels like so much is taken out of me to be that outgoing, but to casual observers who haven't seen my other side, it seems incomprehensible that I am usually reserved. These same people will get offended when I am in my natural introverted state, because they think I'm being stand-offish then.

I've known people who claim to be introverts because they need time alone, like to read, hate the phone, have moments of introspection, etc, but they are soooo not introverts. When they talk about their lives, it's going, going, going. Just hearing about it tires me, but to them their life seems very relaxed. It's hard to explain the profound difference I sense in these people, and I admit I feel some annoyance when they call themselves introverts.

 

[Quinlan]

I am more interested in whole type and functions, than definitive I vs. E. statements like that.

Lumping Fi, Ni, Si and Ti doms together into definitive and simplistic statements doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Lauren Ashley]

I've known people who claim to be introverts because they need time alone, like to read, hate the phone, have moments of introspection, etc, but they are soooo not introverts. When they talk about their lives, it's going, going, going. Just hearing about it tires me, but to them their life seems very relaxed. It's hard to explain the profound difference I sense in these people, and I admit I feel some annoyance when they call themselves introverts.

Extravert - "I'm introverted, I need alone time, I can stay in the house for days, not talk to people, etc."
Introvert - "That's called being a person."

 

[Ivy]

finally? I've been saying this till I was blue in the face...

Me too, I must have said this at least a hundred times. Thanks for bringing it up again Wonka! Very well explained IMO.

 

[OrangeAppled]

Extravert - "I'm introverted, I need alone time, I can stay in the house for days, not talk to people, etc."
Introvert - "That's called being a person."

Exactly, haha

 

[Lady_X]

yeah yeah i know what ya mean...i'm not saying i am introverted or even that i necessarily seem introverted just saying that some may describe me as quiet or soft spoken...which you don't usually associate with extraverts....just wondered how many other extraverts are that way, ya know?