[Redway]

Where do you fall on the extrovert-introvert continuum?

[Jessica.]

I'm an introvert

[Redway]

I decided to leave the poll multi.-choice as sociability rankings aren’t exactly set-in-stone.

[Alf]

An online extrovert but an introvert in reality World.

[Niamh.]

What's an ambi-vert? Is that in between? I'd probably say that if so. I'm definitely not an extrovert though

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

What's an ambi-vert? Is that in between?

Yeah.

[LeatherTrumpet]

Introvert

[AnnieK]

Depends on the situation. I'm shy and introverted to begin with but once I know people I am quite extroverted. Most people dislike me when they meet me the first time as my shyness can be construed as sullenness but I wear them down over time and then they think I'm hilarious

I'm more introverted online than in real life too.....

[Withano]

Depends how ****faced I am

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by Withano

Depends how ****faced I am

Yeah this as well

[Cherie]

Like that it is difficult to say as it depends on the people I am with, if I feel comfortable I will be extrovert, if they make me feel on edge I will retreat

Not a party person, would rather small gatherings to big bashs

[Redway]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

Depends on the situation. I'm shy and introverted to begin with but once I know people I am quite extroverted. Most people dislike me when they meet me the first time as my shyness can be construed as sullenness but I wear them down over time and then they think I'm hilarious

I'm more introverted online than in real life too.....

You mean more extroverted online than in real life?

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by Redway

You mean more extroverted online than in real life?

No, more introverted on here especially. I think and rethink before I post.in case people aren't that interested in what I have to say. In real life, I speak first, think later

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

No, more introverted on here especially. I think and rethink before I post.in case people aren't that interested in what I have to say. In real life, I speak first, think later

That is kind of unusual I think, normally people are more outspoken when they're behind a computer screen

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

That is kind of unusual I think, normally people are more outspoken when they're behind a computer screen

I think because I do a lot of work by email and online I am aware that its hard to get the tone of a post online so I worry that people will be more liable to take offense......in real life if I told you to f off when laughing you would know I was joking but if I did it in a post you might not. Its hard to explain....see I overthink lol

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

I think because I do a lot of work by email and online I am aware that its hard to get the tone of a post online so I worry that people will be more liable to take offense......in real life if I told you to f off when laughing you would know I was joking but if I did it in a post you might not. Its hard to explain....see I overthink lol

I suppose so also it's easier online to be really angry, type it all out, delete, type out another reply, delete, and get all the anger out of your system before you type a nice calm reply to actually post

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I suppose so also it's easier online to be really angry, type it all out, delete, type out another reply, delete, and get all the anger out of your system before you type a nice calm reply to actually post

Yep....that too. I spent years taming my red head temper.....its rare I lose it now but sometimes I do have to bite my tongue

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

Yep....that too. I spent years taming my red head temper.....its rare I lose it now but sometimes I do have to bite my tongue

It would be like in real life being able to lose the plot and say what you actually think and then press a rewind button, that would be really cool to have in real life actually

[Kate!]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

It would be like in real life being able to lose the plot and say what you actually think and then press a rewind button, that would be really cool to have in real life actually

I'd love to have that ability in real life. It would save me on the infraction front

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Like that it is difficult to say as it depends on the people I am with, if I feel comfortable I will be extrovert, if they make me feel on edge I will retreat

Not a party person, would rather small gatherings to big bashs

And the thing is you don’t need to be the strong-silent, apparently stoic type to be a strong, confident social-introvert. Modern Western society likes to frame quietness as a negative trait to overcome but there are a lot of perks that come from being self-sufficient, outwardly calm and able to just get by and do a lot of things alone and enjoy your own company. Not like some extraverts who can’t even run an errand without a friend there for social validation, otherwise they get bored. Almost like they actually can’t be bothered to do anything for themselves if there’s not some social incentive. Introverts just get on with life and do what they have to do, whether the crowd’s there for stimulation or not. As an introvert you’re more independent in yourself and probably like to cultivate deeper friendships over just having a lot of shallow acquaintances who you don’t really know or care for (and vice-versa).

Things would be different if people thought of it like that instead of using words like withdrawn, isolated and antisocial, just making it sound really negative for no reason. Being an introvert is a good thing and comes with all sorts of wonderful advantages. Just that it’s more normal for extraverts to impose on introverts and force them to be more loud and outgoing, whereas the more reserved/reticent among us are nowhere near as likely to tell them to just shut up and be a bit less obnoxious and annoying. But setting those boundaries is important, otherwise your name’s likely to get dragged into stuff that has nothing to do with you just because so-and-so is a big-time blabbermouth who can’t resist the urge to gossip negatively about everyone under the sun. We don’t tend to have a hard time avoiding talking too much but people who are super-outgoing talk to think and just for the sake of talking, so they get carried away with their mouths and say things openly about people they shouldn’t, even if they’re not doing it maliciously.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

That is kind of unusual I think, normally people are more outspoken when they're behind a computer screen

I can totally see where Annie’s coming from but you’re also right about it being easier to be more outspoken online and in person. It’s just standard for quiet people, even if a lot of louder people don’t understand why that is. Just like it’s more natural for them to pick up the phone and talk instead of text, it’s the opposite for the likes of us by the same analogy. Introverts prefer to write than talk and vice-versa for extraverts.

[Redrose]

100% Introvert.

[Redway]

I did end up going for 50/50-ish ambivert on my poll but I was probably thinking more in terms of Myers-Briggsy deeper functional preferences. In the lay, casual social sense I’m very introverted. The only thing tying me to slight ambiversion there is a certain witty comfort I give off vibe-wise when I’m around even new people I feel comfortable around (but if I don’t it’s not necessarily anything personal, unless I actually don’t like you, in which case it’s you) and the fact that I do derive some energy from loud groups and social environments when I want to tap into that. In a more cognitive sense I’m close to 50/50 (the jury’s out on which is more dominant) but in plain social terms I’m 70% introverted. I suppose.