Author: Taurus
Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 4:27 pm
I would chose to be extroverted too, if I was given the choice. I am firmly ‘in the introvert camp’ as well. Although, I can fake it for a while, when I am out in public and need to be extroverted. But this does drain my batteries after some time though. Sometimes it feels like we innies have to get THROUGH life, instead of being able to enjoy life to the fullest. But while reading the book, I realized that being introverted can be something to celebrate, if you look at it from a certain perspective.
Here is an excerpt from the book that I think describes it the two in a nutshell:
"Introverts draw energy from their internal world of ideas, emotions, and impressions."
"Extroverts are energized by the external world-by activities, people, places, and things."
Of course, it expands much more on these thoughts, but just reading and learning about the differences between the two really helps you be able to understand why certain people do the things they do, and how to relate to and have empathy for others who are on the other side of the continuum.
I hated it in school when teachers would make us do oral reports. That was like pure torture for me. (These teachers were obviously extroverts! I would never make a student do that!) I always wondered what was wrong with me when there were so many students who seemed to thrive in the limelight and like getting up in front of the class, making jokes, talking freely, getting the attention that they obviously craved.
I read that "Carl Jung believed that it is harmful to push a child outside of the natural range of his or her temperament, thinking this would violate the individual’s innate disposition. He even thought that this could be the cause of some mental illness." This made me feel better about myself, that I wasn’t some kind of freak with a disability or something.
I always try to remember that we, as introverts, have strengths that some extroverts don’t possess. Our traits just aren’t recognized as highly in society. It is usually the "go-getter" that achieves the most success in life. I guess it all just depends on what you call success. Some might define it as financial freedom, a high paying job, having a lot of friends, a lot social events to go to, etc. Others might think of it as having a successful healthy relationship with your significant other, a lower paying job doing something that you love, having just a few close and deeper friendships, and lots of free time to be alone and do something like art or a hobby that you get fulfillment from.
