Are people more introverted these days?

[NewEra]

Take a look at recent history. Better yet, look at the latter half of the 20th century...

With the age of the internet, cell phones, iPods, etc., do you think the world is more introverted in general now than it was before? People are being more independent, even marriage is less common now (and if it does happen, usually later on in life). That last statement may not say much, but in general, people's attitudes have changed. Face-to-face interaction is not as common as it used to be.

What's your take?

 

[nozflubber]

i think part of it is geography in a post-industrial world - think about it, before only very few, self sufficient farmers out in the plains could sustain themselves. Everyone else has to live inside a community or live in a town or big city, right? well as automobiles proliferated, and there was a means to get people food in more spread out ways, American SPRAWL began as people gained more INDEPENDANCE....

Which is what i think is going on here, with your OP anyway. its about increased autonomy, not increased introversion imo.

 

[Jeffster]

I don't think people are more introverted, I just think the definitions may have shifted due to the way communication has changed. An extrovert might satisfy their need for human interaction by text messaging people or facebook or whatever, whereas in the past, more actual in-person contact would have been required. It most likely used to be easier to tell an introvert from an extrovert because there were less ways to communicate so the E's really had to get out there among the people to satisfy their needs in that area, where now it isn't as necessary.

Even now, there is still a difference in the way that people behave online, you can observe it in the Ventrilo chat here on this forum, as the E's are much more likely to start conversation topics and to actually use voice, whereas a lot of the I's either only text chat or when they talk, it is responding rather than initiating.

 

[Nonsensical]

I don't know if it's that people are more introverted, because Introversion isn't how much you talk or associate with people, it's about how you draw energy, and what you are more comfortable with. I think there will always be roughly an equal distribution between Es and Is. I think with increasing technology, it makes it easier for people to communicate without having to carry out personal conversations. It isn't really about being more Introverted, in my opinion.

 

[527468]

I think it was a harder lifestyle to be an introvert back in the day. Now it's easier, so I can see where you're coming from chosen. However there seem to be other societal rolls to take into account that don't make the correlation so progressive to this day.

 

[NewEra]

You guys might be right. Maybe the lifestyle is geared less these days toward constant interaction, which is better for the introverts.

 

[mippus]

I would say the opposite, especially in the last 20 years. Extraversion seems to be the standard, more than ever. My daughter's teacher expresses concern because my daughter is a bit introverted. 25 years ago this might as well be appreciated, but now -apparently- it is seen as a flaw.
Be active, open, outgoing, expressive, proactive,... the world is turning more and more extraverted imo and the technology you mention only supports this. We MUST interact...

 

[Sentura]

You guys might be right. Maybe the lifestyle is geared less these days toward constant interaction, which is better for the introverts.

constant interaction has been greater the past many years, but in another way. look at the internet: here introverts can speak freely since they can take as long as they want to respond to something, and they don't have to face people for it.

it's the move from constant concurrent interaction to constant sequential interaction that has made the difference. for the better, i might add.

 

[speculative]

Face-to-face interaction is not as common as it used to be.

I used to think of certain people as being "outgoing," but really it has nothing to do with that. If anyone were interested in meeting new people, then I would be meeting new outgoing people every day just going about my normal business. I don't think people in general are really that interested in meeting new people, but instead just being around the same 'ole people. For example, extroverts who get their energy from "being around" people don't seem to seek out new people to be around but instead hang around the same 'ole people they've always hung around with. I think before "social networking" on the Internet, we had a harder time being around the same people, because our "circle" was not readily available via technology. You had to kind of at least try to interact with those around you, even if they were strangers, and because of that perhaps you would meet someone new.

Now, if you know 3 people anywhere in the world, they can be your "circle" and you can talk to them through: cell phone; iPhone; Blackberry; "netbooks" running Facebook, Myspace, Youtube, and the like; chatrooms; forums, etc. I think the term "social networking" is an oxymoron when it comes to things like Facebook and Myspace. I never see anyone on there meet new people through those web sites; instead, they simply connect with people they already know, albeit in a new virtual form.

I think the world has gotten really sad. Although it is impossible to meet new acquaintenances through things like Myspace or Facebook, if I wanted to meet new people in my town I would go to those sites expecting to have better luck than strolling out into the "real world" hoping to meet someone, which would definitely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, never happen, as everyone out in the "real world" is hunched over their cell phone, texting while driving...

 

[Unique]

You can still be extraverted communicating with technology.

 

[Lily Bart]

PLEASE don't confuse introversion with anti-social tendencies! Yes, I think people are more anti-social these days, if that's what you mean. They'd rather watch TV.

 

[mortabunt]

The world has indeed become more extraverted. I almost (Remember: almost) sympathise with Bin laden for wanting to kill America, since it created this damnable extravert culture. The increasing extraversion is bad for introverts. Everyone wanting to drag us out of our armor into the world just so that they can suck the life out of us. Being introverted is an insult. it connotates that you don't care about other people. I could go on for much longer on this, but I have a simpler soluion. Think of the phrase: Golden boy/girl. What are their phsyical and tempermental attributes? Respond below.

 

[mippus]

I absolutely agree: in order to be a golden B/G one has to be tall, good looking, ruthless and charming, brutal, direct, political, networking and focussed. in short: ExTJ

 

[Athenian200]

Take a look at recent history. Better yet, look at the latter half of the 20th century...

With the age of the internet, cell phones, iPods, etc., do you think the world is more introverted in general now than it was before? People are being more independent, even marriage is less common now (and if it does happen, usually later on in life). That last statement may not say much, but in general, people's attitudes have changed. Face-to-face interaction is not as common as it used to be.

What's your take?

I think increased independence is a good thing, because I think before people were pressured into suffering through a long-term connection to someone they might not have liked at all.

I have to admit, I used to assume everyone else was really Extraverted. But when I happened to go into an office at one point... I found that I hadn't really found my way into a different world at all. The people there were all sitting in front of their computers or listening to music, laughing at emails, with the stuff associated with their most recent project on the table next to them. Just like myself back at home. And they would just go through the same motions every day in a half-aware state. It was almost like there wasn't a "real world" out there at all, just what I was used to but on a larger scale.

I have to admit, while part of me is comforted that I'm clearly not the only rigid Introvert in the world, it was a little sad to realize that there's really not much out there except more paranoid, rigid people like me... going through their lives like zombies no longer feeling any attachment to anyone or anything, and just waiting for the next escape to an alternate world. Because there aren't a lot of options, opportunities, or things of real interest in the real one anymore.

It's kind of strange, and interesting.