Anybody here discover they're an introvert?

[Rover5]

So that "if you don't have facebook, you're insane" thread made me want to know why some people like to put their lives on facebook for the world to see and have hundreds of friends and why others are private and only like to have a small number of friends. I read this article that seemed to explain it. http://briankim.net/blog/2007/10/top...ut-introverts/

It's like I'm discovering who I am for the first time! I didn't know there was a word for it. While the world views people like me as anti social and insane, turns out I'm just normal. An introvert. I need that time alone to recharge. I hate small talk. I hate how people are superficial. I like deep discussions. I like my time alone just to think.

Anybody else here an introvert too?

[Reeve]

Nope. I'm kind of the opposite. I thought I was naturally an introvert because that's the way I behaved up until about halfway through high school, then I decided to try and see if I could just be more outgoing. It didn't take me long to realize that extroversion is much closer to my true nature.

I don't like checking in every few seconds on Facebook though. I generally only post important life events or vacation photos.

[Shalaman]

Introvert here, however my family has a hard time understanding this and wants me to be social with them all the time around the clock 24/7

They often avoid social situations because being around people drains their energy.

All the time they ask me why i am tired/mad/bad mood. I tell them every time that i am an introvert and do not enjoy social activities. But they just cant wrap their heads around it.

[Kagonos]

Welcome to growing up... This is kinda what happens, you learn so much as you become more aware of the world and yourself. The real trick is learning to accept the new truths you discover about yourself rather than resist or deny them. I am 32 and constantly "updating" what I know about myself. It feels pretty good to know that you don't know everything about yourself, even though you might think that you do =)

---------- Post added 2012-08-08 at 04:43 PM ----------

And yes, I too am an introvert. Although I definitely do not line up completely with your description since I do not shy away from or hate social interactions... I love me some alone time.

[Sharde]

seems true enough for me.

at least i have the luxury of not living at home anymore and a general lack of friends.
so when the invitation or the need for social activity arises i am prepared most of the time and able to enjoy it.

[Tradewind]

I only talk to myself because I prefer the company of a better class of people.

[TheGhostAgent]

The people available that can keep up with my thoughts are far and few in between. Therefore I talk to myself for far greater intellectual stimulation and progress. If that makes me insane ... sure.

[Shalaman]

The people available that can keep up with my thoughts are far and few in between. Therefore I talk to myself for far greater intellectual stimulation and progress. If that makes me insane ... sure.

I think this is pretty normal, just thinking out loud.

[ChaosEater]

I only have facebook for the grocery coupons and event discounts that come with "liking" a company, I have no need to follow the daily life events of people whom I have never met in real life. I tend not to socialize to great degree but I can never tell if that's just me being me or if it stems from me not wanting to recreate the feeling of being jammed into a small activity room with dozens of other psych patients I don't know. Oh childhood, how I loathe thee.

[Mirubea]

Also an introvert, always have been. Thought you might enjoy this blog called "Introvert's Corner" - it's at w w w psychologytoday.com/blog/the-introverts-corner. Lots of interesting and validating entries.

[ChipperJones]

I feel like im an introvert, but then again, i have a facebook page...

[Deleted]

Yes.

I am an INTJ.

[Deleted]

I'm not sure to be honest. I do like attention and socializing but often physically being with people is very taxing, having to watch every expression, control body language, worry that my hair is messy or I have something between by teeth and thousands of little details like that. However, on the other hand, when chatting with people on Skype or on the phone etc. I could do it 24/7 without ever feeling that I want to be alone.

[Deleted]

I'm not sure to be honest. I do like attention and socializing but often physically being with people is very taxing, having to watch every expression, control body language, worry that my hair is messy or I have something between by teeth and thousands of little details like that. However, on the other hand, when chatting with people on Skype or on the phone etc. I could do it 24/7 without ever feeling that I want to be alone.

Introverts are the Internet extroverts sometimes.

When detached from the anxiety, social pressure and expectations that physical contact often brings you can easily be more "yourself" so to speak and much more at ease with events. I suspect also you are likely to prefer ideas and actual content over fluff and rhetoric which often isolates you from many extroverts.

[TheGhostAgent]

Yes.

I am an INTJ.

We shall one day rule the world of the lesser non-INTJs!

[Deleted]

We shall one day rule the world of the lesser non-INTJs!

Round about all of my friends I asked came out as INTJ with one borderline ISTJ.

[Socialhealer]

2. Introverts tend to dislike small talk.
If you really want to engage an introvert in conversation, skip the small talk. Introverts tend to love deep conversations on subjects that interest them. They love to debate, go past the superficial and poke around the depths in people’s minds to see what’s really going on in there. Most, if not all introverts tend to regard small talk as a waste of time, unless it’s with someone new they just met.

is so me...small talk is like...pointless observational statements that i knew already is beyond dull. yet i love going out with friends having a laugh parties bbq drinking etc.

[Gande]

Introverts are the Internet extroverts sometimes.

When detached from the anxiety, social pressure and expectations that physical contact often brings you can easily be more "yourself" so to speak and much more at ease with events. I suspect also you are likely to prefer ideas and actual content over fluff and rhetoric which often isolates you from many extroverts.

This is pretty much me. While in person and even on facebook i'm rather timid, minus a few people. When i'm anonimous online (like on WoW) i'm not as afraid to say what I please, where normally I wouldn't. The social pressures aren't there, as is the fear of rejection, as if the person comes off as a jerk I can simply ignore him, move on, and never look back. In person I choose my words with excrutiating detail.

[Pull My Finger]

That's the wonderful thing about our modern society, there's a word for any- and everything so we can force the whole world and anyting in it into slots. Introvert, antisocial, bipolar, democrat, casual, misogynist, mouth-breather. It's all 1s and 0s, wohoooo.

[Deleted]

This is pretty much me. While in person and even on facebook i'm rather timid, minus a few people. When i'm anonimous online (like on WoW) i'm not as afraid to say what I please, where normally I wouldn't. The social pressures aren't there, as is the fear of rejection, as if the person comes off as a jerk I can simply ignore him, move on, and never look back. In person I choose my words with excrutiating detail.

Yes.

Just try holding and defending a taboo and controversial opinion on any subject (religion, politics) or talking about an unknown music genre, television show or whatever in any normal situation. When it happens, you'll get completely blank looks or accused of talking too much or something. Yet on the internet this thrives. The culture of the internet is becoming completely if it isn't already entirely separate from the non-internet culture.