Why Everyone And Their Mother Is Now Identifying As An Introvert

[Doctor Cringelord]

My ESJ dad insists he is an introvert. No one else would make that judgement after 5 minutes with him. Like [MENTION=7]Jennifer[/MENTION]'s dad, his typology background is very limited; he associates introversion/extroversion with the number of friends one has and will take offense at being labeled an extrovert--he associates the word with shallow, loud, popular. It's true he doesn't have a ton of close friends anymore, but this is the same person who insists on having conversations with random strangers, checkout clerks, toll booth attendants. Not to mention it's a known fact he was a popular kid in high school with many friends and spent the weekends on surfing trips with his surfer friends. He is a contractor and used to do a lot of museum exhibit installations and I would watch him network at exhibit openings where he seemed to flawlessly glide around the room shaking hands and making connections. Yes, I realize introverts are capable of networking, having many friends, and small talk, but these are things that come naturally for him and furthermore he enjoys them. He gets lonely when my mother works in the evenings and often calls my wife and I to come over and have a drink. He is the king of the one-sided conversation, meaning it is often hard for anyone else to get a word in. He exhibits few traits that I would associate with introverts.

 

[five sounds]

both me and my mother identify as extroverts.

 

[93JC]

both me and my mother identify as extroverts.

Then who has been reading for you, your father?

 

[five sounds]

Then who has been reading for you, your father?

nope, also an extrovert, my nerd ass introverted little sisters read for all of us.

 

[93JC]

Oh, that's fortunate. That's probably why your parents had so many kids, needed at least a couple introverts to read for the family.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Also, all extroverts are dumbshit rednecks and incapable of empathy. Fun fact.

 

[Jaguar]

Also, all extroverts are dumbshit rednecks and incapable of empathy. Fun fact.

Who the hell is Starcrash?

 

[JocktheMotie]

I do think the U.S. is a culture that favor extraversion. Other countries might be different, but we generally see extraverts as "good" and introverts as "bad." How many times do you hear people, when talking about serial killers, say "it's always the quiet ones" ?

It's less that US favors extraversion explicitly, but I think the US favors achievement and a particular brand of status, that extraverts will naturally have more of. Extraverts will take more risks, have more contacts and more extensive networks, and generally "do" more by both generating and capitalizing on opportunities than introverts will. Extraverts will win more because they play more.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Who the hell is Starcrash?

some dumbshit extroverted sensor who thinks he is an INTP because the cute girl who works at 7-11 told him she thought the silent nerdy types were sexy.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

It's less that US favors extraversion explicitly, but I think the US favors achievement and a particular brand of status, that extraverts will naturally have more of. Extraverts will take more risks, have more contacts and more extensive networks, and generally "do" more by both generating and capitalizing on opportunities than introverts will. Extraverts will win more because they play more.

Depends on the game.

 

[Bush]

I do think the U.S. is a culture that favor extraversion. Other countries might be different, but we generally see extraverts as "good" and introverts as "bad." How many times do you hear people, when talking about serial killers, say "it's always the quiet ones" ?

Well, I don't speak to whether that bias is actually there or not. (There's a compelling case that it is.) I just mean that, since there's a perception that this bias exists toward extroverts, there's a backlash about introversion.

Why is everyone and their mother identifying with introversion? "Hey, introverts have these strengths. Don't let society get you down; don't let it marginalize you." Some take those strengths a bit too far and label every introvert, like, an Indigo child. And then since being an Indigo child is cool, more and more people will want to identify with it.

Backlash might have been the wrong word. Reaction? Rebellion? Clarification?Motivation? Defense? A natural force that swings the pendulum the other way in order to eventually establish a good balance?

(That last one is more than one word. I'm fine with that.)

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Well, I don't speak to whether that bias is actually there or not. (There's a compelling case that it is.) I just mean that, since there's a perception that this bias exists toward extroverts, there's a backlash about introversion.

Why is everyone and their mother identifying with introversion? "Hey, introverts have these strengths. Don't let society get you down; don't let it marginalize you." Some take those strengths a bit too far and label every introvert, like, an Indigo child. And then since being an Indigo child is cool, more and more people will want to identify with it.

Backlash might have been the wrong word. Reaction? Rebellion? Clarification?Motivation? Defense? A natural force that swings the pendulum the other way in order to eventually establish a good balance?

(That last one is more than one word. I'm fine with that.)

I don't really see that much of a backlash against extroverts, especially compared with what introverts deal with. Introverts, for instance, frequently make less money even though they may be just as qualified simply because they lack the social networks.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

"You just gotta learn to network better, be more outgoin'"

 

[BadOctopus]

I read that book "Quiet", mentioned in the OP. I really didn't care for it. It implied that introverts were superior, and extroverts had no real substance. I expect that's why it's become so popular. People love feeling that they're special and unique, so it's no surprise that more people would want to identify as introverts, now that they're being haled as noble and enlightened.

Personally, I don't think being an introvert is that great. But that's another topic.

 

[Frosty]

I read that book "Quiet", mentioned in the OP. I really didn't care for it. It implied that introverts were superior, and extroverts had no real substance. I expect that's why it's become so popular. People love feeling that they're special and unique, so it's no surprise that more people would want to identify as introverts, now that they're being haled as noble and enlightened.

Personally, I don't think being an introvert is that great. But that's another topic.

Yeah I read that book. I couldn't seem to get past the authors use of constant personal anecdotes, the same non-point being made again and again to promote some sense of superiority that the author didn't really provide much new information towards to confinrm to the extent she seemed to want to.

 

[Seymour]

Yeah I read that book. I couldn't seem to get past the authors use of constant personal anecdotes, the same non-point being made again and again to promote some sense of superiority that the author didn't really provide much new information towards to confinrm to the extent she seemed to want to.

I read that book, too. I was a little irritated that she conflated a few different qualities with introversion, and didn't reveal she had done so until relatively late in the book.

I, too, felt like the book was too glowing about introversion. I felt the author was kind of "fighting the last war," since it seems there's more acceptance for introversion and geek interests these days. I don't perceive introverts as being terribly oppressed most places in the US these days (granted I have a limited view). Still, I'm sure middle and high school remain a special hell for many.

 

[chickpea]

i've noticed this, not always necessarily using the word introvert even but people constantly talking about how 'antisocial' they are and how all they do is watch netflix when they're actually a huge social butterfly who's at the bar 5 nights a week but needs to tell the internet world "omg all i do is watch netflix lol!!!!"

anxiety is also very trendy at the moment. and sadness.

Ha, "introverts focus on what really matters."

shit, i must be mistyped.

 

[BadOctopus]

shit, i must be mistyped.

Me, too. I focus on stuff that doesn't matter all the time.

 

[prplchknz]

i've noticed this, not always necessarily using the word introvert even but people constantly talking about how 'antisocial' they are and how all they do is watch netflix when they're actually a huge social butterfly who's at the bar 5 nights a week but needs to tell the internet world "omg all i do is watch netflix lol!!!!"

anxiety is also very trendy at the moment. and sadness.

but i agree, but i do actually watch netflix every night and it's been 2-3 months sense i've gone out with friends. see this is my point of we can't know people from the internet.

 

[Riva]

I for one, am glad that I am an extrovert.

However, the occasional silent contemplation I have on the meaningless of the universe and the deep complexity of my authenticity and creativity brings joyful tears to my eyes and makes me wish I am an introvert at times.

Fuck you, you wannabe be introverts.

*Flies away*