Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts
By: Brian Kim - October 2, 2007
First off, there are those who are reading this who might not know which camp they fall into, the extrovert or the introvert. Chances are, the majority of those reading this will know, but for those who donât, letâs define those two terms here very broadly.
Extroverts tend to be those who are more energized when around other people. They are the ones who will reach for the cell phone when alone for more than a minute, the ones who love to go out every weekend, the ones who love to chit chat, mingle, and socialize.
Introverts tend to be those who are more energized when alone with themselves. They are the ones who have to be dragged to parties, who are the first ones ready to leave after a short period of time, and who generally enjoy solitary activities such as reading, writing, and daydreaming.
The qualities and characteristics of introverts are often held in a negative light in todayâs world, so itâs only natural that the majority of people seem to think that thereâs something wrong with them.
The reason why the majority of people think that thereâs something wrong with introverts is because the majority of people arenât very knowledgeable when it comes to introverts, in terms of why they are the way they are and why they do the things they do.
Many people tend to hold several potentially damaging misconceptions about introverts, but through no fault of their own.
Iâve been on both sides of the extrovert/introvert fence, and I can understand why extroverts tend to view introverts in a negative light, socially speaking, so I thought it would be best to write an article dedicated to helping extroverts understand their often very misunderstood introvert counterparts.
My hope is this article will help solve that problem by shedding some light as to why introverts are the way they are and do the things they do, so here are 5 things every extrovert should know about introverts.
1. If a person is introverted, it does NOT mean they are shy or anti-social.
This is probably THE biggest misconception that extroverts tend to have when it comes to introverts.
And you canât really blame them for having that kind of misconception.
Extroverts tend to have to drag introverts to parties, to convince them to go and sell them on attending social engagements. When introverts politely decline, extroverts automatically assume that something might be wrong so they always ask if everythingâs all right and of course, everything is all right. Itâs just a common misunderstanding. When extroverts see a pattern like this developing, they automatically assume that introverts are shy or anti-social as that can be the only logical explanation to them.
Whatâs more, when extroverts try to engage introverts in small talk, it seems like they hit a brick wall.
Add to that, most extroverts see that introverts tend to be fond of engaging in solitary activities such as reading, writing, and daydreaming.
Well, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, it must be a duck right?
Wrong.
Introverts have more brain activity in their frontal lobes and when these areas are activated through solitary activity, introverts become energized through processes such as problem solving, introspection, and complex thinking.
Extroverts on the other hand tend to have more activity in the back of their brain, areas that deal with processing sensory information from the external world, so they tend to search for external stimuli in the form of interacting with other people and the outside world to energize them.
Thereâs a deeper science to this that involves differences in the levels of brain chemicals such as acetylcholine and dopamine in extroverts and introverts, but I wonât get into that.
The bottom line is that introverts are just wired differently than extroverts. Thereâs nothing âwrongâ with them. They just become energized through different processes depending on where the majority of their brain activity takes place.
Granted there are introverts who may be shy and anti-social, but thatâs just a coincidence that perpetuates the myth that ALL introverts are like that.
Youâll find that all introverts are fine just the way they are until people begin to subtly suggest otherwise.
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 peopleâs minds to see whatâs really going on in there. Most, if not all introverts tend to regard small talk as a waste of time, unless itâs with someone new they just met.
This characteristic probably contributes to another misconception that extroverts have of introverts - the misconception that all introverts are arrogant.
Why?
Because extroverts notice that introverts donât talk that much with other people. Therefore, extroverts assume that introverts think theyâre too good to talk to others, hence arrogant and thatâs hardly the case.
Itâs just a matter of preference.
Extroverts thrive on small talk.
Introverts abhor it.
Thereâs nothing wrong with either choice, itâs just a matter of preference.
This brings us to the third point.
3. Introverts do like to socialize â only in a different manner and less frequently than extroverts.
Yes, itâs true. Contrary to the majority of public opinion, introverts do like to socialize, but again, only in a different manner and less frequently than extroverts.
Introverts love anything that involves deep conversation. They get energized by discussing subjects that are important to them and they love see what and how other people think, to connect the dots, to dig deep, to find root causes, to use logical thinking via debate in conversation, etc.
And whatâs more, introverts can do a lot of things extroverts are naturally good at - give great speeches, schmooze with everyone, be the life of the party, charm the socks off of total strangers - but only for a short period of time. After that, they need time for themselves which brings us to the fourth point.
4. Introverts need time alone to recharge.
Extroverts tend to think introverts have something against them as they constantly seem to refuse generous invites to social engagements. Introverts do appreciate the offers, but itâs just that they know it will take a lot of energy out of them if they pursue these social functions.
They need time alone like they need food and water. Give them their space. Thereâs nothing wrong with them. Theyâre not depressed and theyâre not sad. They just need time alone to recharge their batteries.
5. Introverts are socially well adjusted.
Most introverts are well aware of all the social nuances, customs, and mannerisms when it comes to interacting with other people, but they simply donât choose to socialize as much as extroverts, which makes it easy for extroverts to assume that introverts are not socially well adjusted, as they have not seen much evidence of them interacting with other people.
This just exacerbates previous misconceptions and gives way to labeling introverts as nerds, geeks, loners, etc.
Itâs easy to understand why society tends to value extroverts over introverts. Human beings have lived in a tribal society so having to interact frequently with people came to be a regarded as a very good skill when it came to survival.
But because of this high value placed on extroversion, introverts tend to feel trapped and find themselves in a catch 22 situation.
Do introverts stay true to who they are and risk social alienation and isolation or do introverts conform and join the extroverted side, pretending to be somebody theyâre not just to fit in?
This is precisely why I wrote this article, because if the extroverts can become more educated about introverts, introverts will be able to feel free to stay true to who they are, and thatâs a good thing from societyâs point of view.
Trying to âturnâ an introverted person into an extroverted person is detrimental because it gives off a subtle suggestion that there is something wrong with them, hampering their self worth and esteem when there is absolutely nothing wrong in the first place.
Thereâs nothing wrong with introverts.
In fact, introverts are the leading pioneers of advancements in human civilization. Albert Einstein, Issac Newton, Charles Darwin are a few introverts that come to mind, just to name a few.
And for those of you not interested in science, but pop culture, youâll be surprised to see a lot of well known names in Hollywood are introverts as well. Julia Roberts, Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise to name a few as well.
And for those interested in sports, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods come to mind as athletes who are introverts as well.
Introverts have a lot to bring to the table. They have an amazing ability to discover new thoughts, an uncanny ability to focus, to concentrate, to connect the dots, to observe and note things that most people miss, to listen extremely well and are often found having a rich and vivid imagination too.
The more extroverts become knowledgeable about introverts, the less tension and misunderstanding there will be among the two.
So if youâre an introvert reading this, send a copy of this article to all your extrovert friends so they can get a better idea of what youâre all about.
Itâs time to finally clear the air.
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October 2nd, 2007 at
Dead accurate.
October 2nd, 2007 at
ok, that was a little harsh. it was a pretty good article, actually. i am the epitome of an introvert.
October 2nd, 2007 at
Disagree!!
Introverts ARE shy, if Shy == “Drawing back from contact or familiarity with others; retiring or reserved”, which is what the tubes tell me. So introverts are the very definition of shy. It’s not a misconception, its a reality. That shyness is something you feel you must defend against as being “wrong” is another matter entirely.
If you really want to engage an extrovert in conversation, skip the small talk. If you really want to engage any intelligent person in conversation, skip the small talk. Personal desire to embody an admirable trait aside, this generalization of an introvert does not hold.
Everyone needs to recharge, not just introverts.
Your “article” is a livejournal post. An excellently articulated opinion piece.
I’m not even sure where I am on the internet right now, so excuse my ass-baggery if this type content is par around here. This is actually my first ever post of this type!
October 2nd, 2007 at
Sadly, many extraverts claim to be introverted.
October 2nd, 2007 at
thanks for that
well written
October 2nd, 2007 at
thanks for that.
October 2nd, 2007 at
n0p3 i cant agree more.
also, i think most extroverts won’t be ones to read and dig through blogs…or reddit…
maybe i’m wrong, but i think most extroverts won’t ever see this list, paradoxically
October 2nd, 2007 at
wow, I didn’t even realize half of this until I read it, but it’s spot on.
October 2nd, 2007 at
[…] 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts Posted by Jared Bridges | Permalink | ShareThis […]
October 2nd, 2007 at
[…] I AM an intorvert. Here’s a great article about what that means: Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts Related PostsNo related posts […]
October 2nd, 2007 at
You think any extroverts were focused enough to read this entire article?
October 2nd, 2007 at
Excellent article, one that I have been meaning to write in some form or another for a while on my blog. I’d build on this by suggesting that in the classical Myers-Briggs personality theory that introvert-extrovert is only a piece of the whole story. Introverts can be very different from one another - some think abstract, others concrete. Some make decisions based on logic, others on how their decisions effect others. Some are decisive and get things done quickly, others are more open to possibilities and influenced by deadlines.
October 2nd, 2007 at
so if ontroverts need time alone to recharge …
how do extroverts recharge …
and sure extroverts need more frequent charging as they would need more energy being extroverts and stuff …
right ?
October 2nd, 2007 at
how do you call an introvert who is partially extroverted? An introvert who sometimes keep themselves alone but also sometimes call his/herself a party-goer.
October 2nd, 2007 at
This is a very good piece. I have recently picked up again on work that has come from the Myers-Briggs work in this area. I have used a great deal of my early exposure to it in my career and in my family life. I have been described as both a fearless social predator and also a wall flower. I find that the power of awareness of ones type, strengths and weaknesses is like new birth when first experienced. I have seen the effects in myself and others.
Lantern Bearer
October 2nd, 2007 at
[…] 2nd, 2007 · No Comments Traduzco los puntos destacados del articulo original: La razĂłn por la que la mayorĂa de laspersonas creen que hay algo malo con los introvertidos es por que la mayorĂa de la gente no tiene suficientes conocimientos cuando se trata de introvertidos, en el sentido del por quĂ© de de su forma de ser y el por quĂ© de las cosas que hacen. […]
October 2nd, 2007 at
I think I need to point this… A lot of people are mistyped and in MBTI some introverts come out as extroverts… this has created a unbalance in the introverted/extroverted scale and turned the introverted into something like an outcast (perception wise).
From a functional point of view, every person has 2 strong functions, one introverted and one extroverted. Depending on which one they predominately use they are introverted or extroverted.
Some of the “dynamic” introverts (like the Ixxp) will look extroverted (when I tell people I’m introverted a lot of them say “You? NO WAY!” but I am. Also… some of the “static” extroverts (like the Exxp) will tend to come of looking more introverted.
For people really interested in psychological types I recommend taking a look at the MBTI alternative… Socionics
http://socionics.us/
October 2nd, 2007 at
A very accurate article. I’m an introvert and like it that way. Also, I’ve always been a night person and while this can complicate life at times, my thought processes and creativity excel because of this.
October 3rd, 2007 at
Typically an american view: black vs white. Introverts vs extroverts. Good vs Evil. Etc.
Introverts and extroverts are just the extreme ends of a scale of so many levels that it is absurd to classify them into 2 groups. We are all introverts AND extroverts, but in different ways. Plus, you can be more introvert on a specific day for a specific activity and more extrovert at a different time for a different activity.
Thinking black vs white is simple. Human beings are not.
October 3rd, 2007 at
Extroverts are probably seen as the ‘normal’ people in our society. Your article also takes this view; but of course it’s written for extroverts to read so that’s why, probably. You know, as an introvert it’s easy to feel unappreciated. ‘Dumb’ extroverts also have a good skill to bring this across. Whatever… your article is superb. Thanks.
October 3rd, 2007 at
Spot on
October 3rd, 2007 at
Great read. I suffer from people thinking that I am an arrogant guy. I also tend to be very interacting and funny at work and other places, though only sometimes. This turns into a burden as well, as I am pretty humorous and people are always expecting something.
Spot on write up
October 3rd, 2007 at
Very good piece. I’m a classic introvert myself. This quote — “…introverts can do a lot of things extroverts are naturally good at - give great speeches, schmooze with everyone, be the life of the party, charm the socks off of total strangers - but only for a short period of time” — is especially accurate, and is the source of much of the misunderstanding about us introverts, I think. People meet us, think we’re very sociable and outgoing; then simply can’t understand why we don’t want to go their party the next day, or whatever.
In my profession, I’m invited to speak at a lot of conferences and seminars. I’m told I’m pretty good at it, and I enjoy it. But I usually skip the ‘cocktail hours’ later in the day, because I have no interest or ability in the small talk that invariably ensues.
October 3rd, 2007 at
oops — my submission should have said “why we donât want to go TO their party…”
October 3rd, 2007 at
A lot of Thanks! A very good article.. Will pass this one.
October 3rd, 2007 at
It’s the unfair and generalised assumptions about introverts that create the perception that introverts are by definition socially handicapped. The Introversion-Extroversion continuum relates to the individual’s need to emotionally recouperate and re-energise themselves in order to function. Some people feel more energised and relaxed in a social environment, and some feel more energised and relaxed by having time to themselves.
Social skills are learned behaviours. Introversion does not preclude someone from developing these skills, or enjoying time spent around other people. Resorting to inaccurate stereotypes, such as the image of “dragging” introverts to parties, does little to clarify these labels.
October 3rd, 2007 at
Score one for the introverts. It’s good to hear there’s nothing wrong with me.
October 3rd, 2007 at
#3 “period of time” ALL “periods” are of “time.” Just “period” would do…
But a good article. Thanks.
October 3rd, 2007 at
Extroverts don’t know about psychology, introverts do!
October 3rd, 2007 at
Dear Mr. Kim,
You speak the truth. I knew I was an introvert but I thought I was from another planet. Thanks for posting this well-written article.
Cheers
October 3rd, 2007 at
Introvert. One point added
October 3rd, 2007 at
When I was in College, most of my friends call me introvert. It’s because I don’t join them when they go to parties or night outs. After our class, I would go back home right away instead of hanging around with my friends. Even my teachers would always scold me because I don’t listen in their classes instead I read books at the corner of our classroom.
Luckily, my family is very supportive of me. They don’t force me to join any family gatherings if I don’t want to. They knew that I’m not comfortable being surrounded by other people that I just met for the first time.
October 3rd, 2007 at
You’re quite right.
Now I know I’m an introvert.
October 3rd, 2007 at
HOLY SHIT! A GREAT article and SPOT ON!!!! (from an Introvert of course)
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] The reason why the majority of people think that thereâs something wrong with introverts is because the majority of people arenât very knowledgeable when it comes to introverts, in terms of why they are the way they are and why they do the things they do.read more | digg story […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your ownsite. […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] Me - The Introvert 3 10 2007 My introvertedness has recently been a popular topic of discussion with a friend of mine so I was estatic when I came across an article titled “The Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts”. You can click there to read the article but I just feel like outlining the parts the I feel really apply to me. […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
I was reading this article thinking that I was Extrovert but as I read it I’m beginning to wonder if I’m an introvert. The line that really made me question it was this: “And whatâs more, introverts can do a lot of things extroverts are naturally good at - give great speeches, schmooze with everyone, be the life of the party, charm the socks off of total strangers - but only for a short period of time. After that, they need time for themselves which brings us to the fourth point.” My girlfriend can’t understand how one night I can be the life of a party, and the next day not say a word. She always assumes that it’s her, but I’ve never really been able to explain why I need some time by myself. I really need that time by myself just thinking or “daydreaming.” Great article.
October 3rd, 2007 at
I ;]
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] source link […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
An Extrovert myself…I’m married to an Introvert, first 9 years of marriage sucked for me… however, I have a really great admiration for the introvert… it’s nice to have back-up to understand what the Introvert is thinking, how they think, and why they think it. very good article.
Oh.. and to answer the question from subcorpus:How do Extroverts recharge?? A good nights sleep. That’s all it takes!
October 3rd, 2007 at
Honestly it’s a little silly to think people exist only on polar opposites. I tend to think I’m extroverted, but not as much as some people. I also go through moments where I become very introverted. Drawing a line between the two and deciding that people have to be one or the other makes it harder for everyone.
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] Click Me. […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
sad thing is, 99% of the readers of this article will be introverts.
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
You know… this would have been a great article had you changed the tone a little. It almost seems like you are fed up with the world comming down on “introvert” personalities.
To be honest, i think introverted and extroverts as 2 definitive characteristics of human behavior is ignorant and very bland way of describing and grouping individual’s based on their behavior patterns. You make it seem as if the world of extroverts is looking at the world of introverts as if they are lessar.
Well guess what, some book has told you that there are extro and intro’s… not real life. If you actually examine people to get down to their root personalities, you’d see that things are MUCH more complex on the social scale and in human behavior, than two simple groups defined as “intro and extro”.
Myself for example, in a social setting i will be the most extrovertive person towards my friends, but only when i need to be. Otherwise, I’m the guy that shows up last and leaves first. It really all depends on the situation and what’s going on. I don’t prefer one over the other as i have just as much fun by myself as i do going and partying with friends. If i were to disrupt the balance with one over the other, i’de either get sick of the people or i’de get sick of sitting by myself.
SO what does this make me? Extrointroverted? Relating back to my point at the start is that your tone in this article makes it seem like you’re an introvert crying out in a world of extroverts who don’t understand you. The reality is, there is nothing wrong with being either (which you’ve stated and i respect), but equality does become an issue when you try to equal the playing field by declaring lack of knowledge onto others. You keep saying “THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE”. Well, did you go and interview the “MAJORITY OF PEOPLE” or did you just base this one a couple jerks that you work with or have to deal with in your life?
I just don’t think you’ve really thought out what the message you were trying to send was. I agree with your message, that any extroverts thinking less of someone else because they don’t think the same way is appalling and should cease to exist. But, i can’t agree with your principals and how you came to these conclusions. I assure you, the world “majority” doesn’t see introverts as social rejects or the like, they are either just a shy person (which is very common), or they are one of those introverts that just does NOT need social stimulation to stay content (nothing wrong with that!). Please don’t assume the world is morally crumbling based on a few jerk friends you’ve had over your life.
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] October 3rd, 2007 Brian Kim writes: Introverts tend to be those who are more energized when alone with themselves. They are the ones who have to be dragged to parties, who are the first ones ready to leave after a short period of time, and who generally enjoy solitary activities such as reading, writing, and daydreaming. […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
Good article. I consider myself fairly extroverted myself and it was nice to be able to understand what exactly goes on here. But, it makes it sound like extroverts are not interested in deep conversation. We are, but the small talk is there to get to a topic of deep conversation. It’s not all small talk if you can find something that both parties can expand on. That’s when it goes deeper. What I like to do is throw out a bunch of topics until this happens, and I truly enjoy poking around and finding out what about/how other people think. Great article though. Cheers!
October 3rd, 2007 at
Crazy article! Spottt on.
October 3rd, 2007 at
I agree that a lot of people misunderstand the behavior of introverts. However, I also feel like extroverts can be misunderstood. Just looking at some of these posts, we have: “You think any extroverts were focused enough to read this entire article?” and “Extroverts donât know about psychology, introverts do!” I take issue with this. I’d say I’m extroverted, but more towards the midline than the extreme. I go out most nights of the week and am constantly busy. I usually take one day of the week to watch television and do something creative to recharge, plus getting a good 7-8 hours of sleep a night. But just because I’m extroverted now (I was introverted as a teenager) doesn’t mean that I’m unfocused. Some extroverts may have ADHD, but the majority do not. Our focus may just be in a different place than yours. And I would argue that extroverts do know about psychology. Just because we’re often classified as social butterflies or whatever doesn’t mean we have no time for self reflection - also we spend time figuring out the psychology of other people as well as ourselves (not saying introverts don’t do that also).
There are some shy introverts, there are some introverts who are just happy being alone. There are some manic extroverts and there are some extroverts who are just happy being around other people. Like other posters have said, this is not a black and white issue, it’s all shades of gray.
October 3rd, 2007 at
Great post. I’ve commented on Marti Laney’s book “The Introvert Advantage” on my blog, and, as an introvert, I found that understanding more about introverts greatly increased my coping skills.
Manny
http://successbooks.blogspot.com
October 3rd, 2007 at
Great article!
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] There’s nothing wrong with being an introvert. Really. […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
Great article. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and have to say I agree with just about everything.
I do have a reply for Kid Handsome, the third commenter.
-I don’t think introverts are necessarily shy at all, it’s just a matter of preference to be alone. Shy to me means flustering or tripping over words when speaking publicly, or becoming uncomfortably awkward in social situations, or avoiding contact with other people out of some fear. That is my interpretation of shy. I don’t believe I’m shy if I am happier when I’m alone with my thoughts and would prefer this the majority of the time.
-Good point. The “skipping the small talk” idea makes it sound like only dolts engage in small talk. I don’t think the author necessarily meant it as a shot at extroverts, but rather a look at how an introverts brain differs and how there may be a wide gap in conversational perception.
October 3rd, 2007 at
My bf is an introvert and im quite an extrovert,ive known this since i first got with him.We’ve been together over 2 yrs now and its quite annoying at times as i hav to literally drag him anywhere,the funny thing is thou as much as he moans n complains about not wantin to go,wen we leave he tells me wot a good time he had!!lol.even most of our time together is spent in his room as trying to get him outside is a feat,lol.this article definetly gave us some laughs,its so true!!
October 3rd, 2007 at
This sounds about right. I have always considered myself an introvert, I just enjoy being alone every so often. This is a great article, I’ll be sure to pass this on to people I know.
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] While doing some casual surfing this evening, I found link to an article titled Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts. It’s on a blog about self improvement written by Brian Kim. […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] I stumbled upon this article by Brian Kim titled “Top 5 things every extrovert should know about introverts“. I have no idea about Brian Kim’s credentials, but this article hit the nail on the head from my (admittedly introverted) perspective. Worth taking a few minutes to read if you want to understand the workings of our sometimes quirky social behavior. […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] The reason why the majority of people think that thereâs something wrong with introverts is because the majority of people arenât very knowledgeable when it comes to introverts, in terms of why they are the way they are and why they do the things they do.read more | digg story […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
I have been dating an introvert for two years now. An extrovert myself, I am constantly trying to drag him places that are fun to me; parties, clubs; etc, while he’d prefer to be anywhere but. I get upset when he wont want to talk to me at the end of our days, which I guess falls under the topic of small talk. When he does talk to me at night, he’s unresponsive because hes either playing a video game or reading something online, which makes me feel like he doesnt care about how my day was or any of my small talk. While this article has shown me that this isnt true, I still struggle with it. I want to bring him out places that I frequent, but hes just not comfortable there. I still cant seem to get past these two things though. Are we doomed?
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] Good article about introverts. In training we talked about this briefly. And I lived with an extrovert so I think this article pretty much nails it. There are alot of misconceptions about Introverts and usually they are generalized and not much thought is encouraged into the phenomenon. That is until now. Hopefully more research will be done like this article where critical thinking is encoouraged. This piece of work struck me as important because it talks about the “duck”, which was mentioned in our training. So I thought it was a good read. addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sanslunew.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D15′; addthis_title = ‘About+introverts+from+an+extravert+perspective.’; addthis_pub = ‘’; […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
[…] I characterize myself as an introvert who does his best to occasionally emulate an extrovert. That’s why nearly everything said in this post rings familiar to me. […]
October 3rd, 2007 at
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October 4th, 2007 at
Damn good stuff! May I translate it to Hungarian?
October 4th, 2007 at
[…] Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts Now, that sums it up nicely, doesn’t it? (tags: personality lang:en psychology introvert) […]
October 4th, 2007 at
Hi,
Ofcourse, as quite a few people have allready replied, the truth is never as black&white as this article suggests.
But I don’t think the article should be read as “the truth”, but simply as an exaggerated version of the truth.
Nothing wrong with that: exaggeration can be a very helpful tool!
It can lift a situation out of the net of nuances that obscures it from beeing examined in the first place. Glimpses of truth can often only be seen in the extremes.
So exaggeration is actually a great way to examine underlying tendencies that can’t be seen when only looking at the ‘middle ground’.
The middle ground is, however, where most of the real world is.
I liked the ideas in the article and I’ll incorporate them into my daily analysis of things. Weighing and testing them as I go along. (In my typical introverted way.)
Thanks for the input!
October 4th, 2007 at
Thanks for enlightening me. I am a pretty intense extrovert, but I read this article because my introvert boyfriend sent it to me. You’re dead on about the misconceptions everyone has, and it took me two years of dating him to finally realize the way for us to argue less was to let him have time alone, and understand why he may not want to go to parties with me. But intorverts must realize it’s hard not to take it personally: it can come accross as if an extrovert enjoys spending time with an introvert more than that introvert does. Very important to be on the same page, and realize affections need not be expressed simply by the amount of time spent with a person, but rather the quality of the time…and introverts are great at providing quality time, if not quantity. Any thoughts on the possibilities of an introvert/extrovert relationship working well? (perhaps opposties attract and complement each other?)
October 4th, 2007 at
true,true, very true.
October 4th, 2007 at
[…] Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts The reason why the majority of people think that thereâs something wrong with introverts is because the majority of people arenât very knowledgeable when it comes to introverts, in terms of why they are the way they are and why they do the things they do. […]
October 4th, 2007 at
[…] Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts As an extrovert married to an introvert, these are important things to learn. (tags: personality social relationships) […]
October 4th, 2007 at
Myself an introvert, i have to say right on… I get a lot of crud from my peers because I’ll be reading or very concentrated on what I’m doing and they’ll think I’m angry with them or something… can get very frustrating at times so I’m glad i have something to hopefully help them understand
October 4th, 2007 at
First off, thank you to all of you whoâve responded with your comments. I really appreciate it. My apologies for not responding within the flow of the comments. Iâve had sporadic access to the Internet for the last couple of days. I will respond to half of the comments listed so far within this reply and to the other half when I have some more time.
Dan
Che Guevara
Tony
Introvert
Introvert #2
Simon
Romnico
Jeremy
Ric
Pensador
Funny Guy
Dave Brook
Intraverts
Manny
Drexl
Thank you all so much for your kind words. I really appreciate it! Itâs good to see that you all see the article as dead on.
Kid Handsome
Thank you for your comments and for the kind words. I really appreciate it.
And you are certainly entitled to your opinion.
Using the definition of shy you described in your post, itâs certainly easy to see how introverts could be labeled as shy. However, the purpose of this article was to show that there is a difference between shyness a person being introverted. Most people lump the two in the same sentence due to misconceived notions and lack of knowledge. Granted, there are introverts who are shy, but they donât apply to the whole.
With regard to the matter about small talk, I agree with what you said. Itâs just that introverts tend to dislike small talk more so than their counterpart extroverts.
True, everyone needs to recharge, but people recharge in different ways. Introverts recharge when alone and extroverts recharge when with other people or through other means.
I thank you for your kind words and welcome your post, even if it is your first of this type!
Dave and n0p3
Iâve never heard that claim but thereâs always something new to learn. I also agree that most extroverts donât read blogs so thatâs why I recommended introverts send the article along to them at the end of the article
JK
I do think extroverts were focused enough to read the article, and not just this article, but any other as well.
Innovation Catalyst
Thank you very much for your kind words and for adding to the article. Itâs definitely a good way to give the article more depth.
Subcorpus
Please see reply #41
Introextro
While a person can exhibit both qualities of an introvert and extrovert, the underlying theory in psychology today is that there is one dominating side. To help with that, ask yourself this question. If you were at a party for some time and needed to recharge, would you socialize more or withdraw to a place where you could be alone for a while?
Lanterrn Bearer
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your experience with us on becoming more aware of your types, strengths, and weaknesses. I agree itâs akin to becoming born again because Myer Briggs does an extremely good job of articulating those kinds of things. We know it, but we canât articulate it as well as the tests do.
Peter
Thanks for adding to the article. You bring up very valid points and Socionics looks to be an extremely good alternative to the current Myer Briggs testing.
Liderr
Thanks for your comments. I can relate to what youâre saying about being a night person as well. Thatâs when creativity seems to flow for me.
Ouessant
Thank you for your comments. You bring up good points when you say itâs not as easy as splitting people into two groups. Perhaps the article wouldâve been better understood if people knew it was targeted toward those who were the extremes on both sides.
K
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your thoughts.
Youâre certainly correct when you say that extroverts tend to be viewed as ânormalâ in our society and that it can be easy for introverts to feel underappreciated. Thatâs one of the reasons why I felt this article had to be written.
Ob81
Thanks for the kind words and for sharing your experiences. I can see how it can be a bit burdensome for you to have to play on both teams, so to speak.
Brent
Thank you as well for your kind words and for sharing your experiences with us. Itâs good to see introverts such as yourself clear up the misconceptions that people normally have of them.
Amy
Thank you very much for your comments. It certainly adds to the article.
Joy
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I think a lot of people will be able to identify with your situation. Itâs good to see that your family is supportive and understanding.
Brian
Thank you for the kind words. I really appreciate it.
Itâs funny how you point that line out because I think itâs that line that helps people who are on the fence, differentiate whether they are more extroverted or introverted.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and thoughts with us.
Extrovert Alert
Thank you for the kind words and for sharing your admiration for the introvert. Itâs good to see that you do have an understanding of what theyâre all about.
And thanks for answering subcorpusâ question
Dan
You bring up very good points and I think this article wouldâve been more âfocusedâ had it been directed toward those who are on the extremes on both sides.
Anonymous
Thatâs exactly why I urged the introverts reading this to send it to their extroverted friends
October 4th, 2007 at
Even though I avoid “labeling” myself certain things, I’m definitely introverted by nature. I was also “shy” when I was growing up, which I think is a different thing. Shyness is avoiding social situations on purpose because you feel afraid or nervous about them. I overcame that probably in high school, but I still tend to keep to myself. Its really not even about being “charged up” by being alone, but rather having the ability to look inward and be entertained by my own thoughts and not needing to be continually amused or excited by other people being amused or excited. Being extroverted is definitely held in high regard in society. In my opinion, very extroverted people are more insecure than introverts - on a deep level. For me, extremely extroverted people seem to constantly need other’s approval and reinforcement for things they do, whereas I do what I please and am only really tripped up when someone calls me “shy”. A stigma becomes attached when someone uses that term in the company of others and its hard to shake it simply because extroverts don’t understand. I learn more by saying nothing at all. Thanks for the article - good read!
October 4th, 2007 at
I appreciate the thought behind an article like this, but I’m not totally crazy about it because it seems to reinforce a lot of cliches about introverts and extraverts. Like others have said, real life is a lot more subtle and complex.
It also helps foster an us vs. them attitude. The poor introverts are always being misunderstood by the thoughtless extroverts.
On another note, I’m not totally convinced introversion is a inborn and immutable a personality trait as people think it is. A lot of what feels like a core part of you may just be due to life experiences. Of course socializing is draining, you’re not used to it or well practiced in it…
October 4th, 2007 at
[…] After reading an article about extroverts and introverts, I think I’m an introvert. Peter (Smith-Keary) and I have developed a sense of humour which effectively excludes other people, even if we didn’t mean it to. I realise this now and it takes a bit of hard work to get out of that sense of humour while still being my sense of humour, if that makes any sense. […]
October 5th, 2007 at
I liked the article. I just got home from a bookstore cafe, where I have lots of “friends”.
But, I was bored stiff, and I got one cruel remark that upset me all night from a high school
tramp girl.
As an introvert–I find that I get intense needs to be social, and then get disgusted with the
time wasted, and the stupidity and ignorance of the people I socialize with. It’s a losing situation. Sometimes, people are irrationally cruel, too.
On the other hand, a nice mathematics article or physics book never disappoints. And, I get far more bang
for the buck by reading–in terms of information–than by talking with people:Speech is very slow, and people generally know almost nothing. They don’t think–they parrot opinions. Most people haven’t read even a thousand books in their entire lives.
I have come to accept this. I also Loathe the current popular culture, and I can’t relate to it.
I would rather read a poem by Spencer, or a play by Euripedes, than hear about Paris Hilton or
Tom Cruise. I would rather discuss chess than Football. I would rather go home and play some Bach
on my piano. That makes me calm and sane.
I used to think that if I pretended an interest in popular culture, I would be happier and social–but, I have come to to HATE the phonyness of that. I have wasted thousands of hours in the attempt to be social.
The worst part of it, is the feeling that I don’t fit in the world. Most likely, I just don’t fit in Suburbia.
Penny
As a child, I used to sit on a jetty and think–and imagine that I would be happier living on an asteroid in the Oort Cloud. Physics made me happy.
October 5th, 2007 at
Jack…
Your definition of shy; the uncomfortable, awkward, flustering, tripping, well adjusted individual, is my definition of socially inept. (Everyone of any intelligence is from time to varying time happy when alone with their thoughts) My definition of shy is just a dude that is reserved and lays back in the cut. Maybe I am in the minority, maybe I have a different perspective.
If everyone enjoys good conversation, how does the introverts brain differ any from the “others”? There is always a gap in conversational perception, thats what conversations are! I speak, you listen, I have my perception and you have yours. You perceive, I perceive your perspective as you relay it to me. If that’s not a gap then I want my money back because I CAN believe it’s not butter!
Brian Kim…
Do you have any reply to Zac? He makes some great points. (Candidly, I clicked his name and tried to find out more about him. I wondered…had he been inside my brain, stringing together coherent thoughts from my inarticulate un-intelligence? [Sadly, I lost his trail after I got to Chronic7.com and found no easy trace of his presence on the tubes.]) What of the great continuum of human behavior?
If you have already addressed his points, I cry pardon, I should have been more thorough than ctrl-f!
Above I loosely define what shy is to me? Am I way off? It’s my opinion that for the “majority” of people out there, shy does not have as many negative connotations as you seem to think. Anecdotally, a large majority of women I know dig on a true shy guy.
Again, if lively debate is not the purpose of this forum, I bow out of your cyberspace and wish you well in future backpatting.
However, your well-articulated thoughts on what your critics have to say would be a welcome respite from the day to day mundaneness that is the fark-ification of the internet.
(al speling mztaks ar myn wit pryde)
October 5th, 2007 at
[…] Posted: Friday, October 05, 2007 9:49 AM by Will Femia Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts - Something I’ve been thinking about lately (as an introvert) is how/whether the new wave of social software is of use to introverts. To some extent it helps automate some of the socializing an introvert doesn’t already do on their own. But at some point the introvert has to care enough to bother managing their online accounts and that may be tantamount to imposing an extroverted perspective on people who don’t really share those priorities. If anyone reading this has had their social lives changed dramatically with the help of a social network, I’d be interested in hearing about it (assuming sharing such things suits your personality). Speaking of social sites doing it for you, I read the Microsoft press release on what’s new with the new Zune release and it includes a social site that automatically lists the music you’re listening to. Again I wonder, does this mean that people who are interested in music but hate “what’s your favorite song” small talk can now participate like extroverts while having the small talk done for them? Or is it all just junk information because a person who doesn’t already maintain track lists won’t care about lists made for them? Maybe I have a selective memory, but when the Zune first came out I remember it being roundly mocked by the online gadget community. But since then Apple has suffered a bit of a backlash. The iPod isn’t seen as infalible and some people are still angry at how that whole iPhone price change happened. This time around Microsoft is getting favorable press for giving free upgrades to old Zunes and comparisons with iPods include phrases like “holds its own” and “a tougher call.” Disclosure: Microsoft is a partner in MSNBC.com. However, I don’t own a Zune or an iPod as I play music on my computer when I’m sitting and prefer “nat sound” when I’m walking. Yesterday was International Bloggers’ Day for Burma. I’m not sure what that means in the big picture. Most chilling Burma headline: ‘They Come at Night and Murder the Monks’ What you’re not so naive as to not already know about Burma: “As the Burmese military brutally cracks down on a popular uprising of its citizens demanding democracy the question on many minds is â so what is the world going to do about it? From the trend visible so far the answer is simple- nothing at all.” Kanye West has a new blog. Really active so far. Hard to say if he’s really writing it. Seems unlikely. Also with a new blog, the U.S. State Department. “Welcome to the State Department’s first-ever blog, Dipnote.” I can’t say I like the name. Sounds like notes made by dips. Speaking of diplomacy, as odd as it seems that a Pentagon official would say, “I hate all Iranians,” the accompanying photo has also inspired some blogside head scratching. Was this some kind of costume party? Speaking of making the UK uncomfortable, Britain ‘no longer closest Bush ally’ - Includes this line: “‘Operationally, British forces have performed poorly in Basra,’ said the [White House] official. ‘Maybe it’s best that they leave. Now we will have a clear field in southern Iraq.’” Ick. Speaking of the war, Commuter Click: Christopher Hitchens faces the question of his own responsibility for encouraging someone to fight and die in Iraq. I’ve only read page one of three so far but very compelling stuff. And, NOTE to magazine marketers: This is the fourth Vanity Four piece I’ve enjoyed online and I’m suddenly thinking I might need a subscription to the dead tree version. I did this once before with the New Yorker and ended up letting the subscription lapse because I found myself still reading online, but I may yet prove to be an example of why putting your stuff online for free is actually good for business. Iranian University Invites Bush to Speak - Can you imagine that introduction? Radiohead Says: Pay What You Want - I’m a little behind in relaying this because I couldn’t get it to work. This morning it processed my order but then gave me a registration form which, frankly, I don’t trust. Mobile phone number is a required field? YouTube Project:Direct - Is a short film contest. Human LCD - I can’t figure out how they’re doing this. Has the crowd just memorized which of two cards to display and when? Or do they have a stack of cards they flip through when they hear the command? Using a metal detector this guy found a buried sword from the early 1600s. Following the headline, I was relieved to find that it’s not one of those “news of the weird” stories about a retiree zig-zagging the beach at sunset. It’s an archaeology blog and the sword was found in a forest that used to be an active harbor. Speaking of finding valuable stuff, The Wallet Test: “100 wallets were dropped in front of hidden cameras to see who would return the wallets and who would steal them…” They broke the results down by race, sex and age and found that young black males were the category most likely to steal the wallet. Cue heated online discussion. Old people + Wii Bowling championship = serious business - I think this is really an ad for some kind of retirement community, but it’s a point well taken that as the retired population grows there are going to be a lot of people with a lot of time on their hands who will benefit from and appreciate low-impact entertainment. This photo has been floating around the Web lately, being variously used to point to the popularity of Apple with college kids or the groupthink among college kids. To me it marks a generational dividing line. If you are above a certain age, this scene is completely foreign to you. Just like if you are below a certain age you have no idea what a Smurf is. A caffeine nap is basically like using caffeine as a time released alarm clock. Have some caffeine just before you doze and you have until your system processes it for some quick shut-eye. That’s the theory anyway. I advise against trying it at lunch until you know your body works that way. Financial Models for Underachievers: Two Years of the Real Numbers of a Startup - The Redfin guy reveals as many numbers about his business as he’s able. Who else is this generous with this kind of information? Valuable post. Rocket-powered 21-foot-long X-Wing model actually flies - Folks from the previous Star Wars remake comment thread might want to take note of this. It might not be too far in the future that a Star Wars remake comes from amateurs with pro/am equipment and kick-ass skills. All Volkswagens to have hybrid option How much extra would a gold-plated laptop weigh? “Eight artists snuck into the depths of Providence Place mall and built a secret studio apartment in which they stayed, on and off, for nearly four years until mall security finally caught their leader last week.” Here’s their site. It’s not clear to me how mall security didn’t see this. Could it be there aren’t as many security cameras in a mall as I think there are? Speaking of security shortcomings, I Was a Teenage Terrorist: The Star Simpson Story - An MIT professor tries to draw conclusions from the recent Logan Airport “fake bomb” incident. It’s mostly an indictment of the media coverage but his points about how exactly to advise students so the same thing doesn’t happen to them are simultaneously funny and frustrating. Boing Boing launches a video channel. I’m not sure why they think Web video needs TV style talking heads, commentary and editing. Groovy dancing girl is approaching Numa Numa kid status, albeit at a slower pace. Seeing how it’s done by dancing in slow motion kind of takes the fun out of it. […]
October 5th, 2007 at
[…] If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed or email alerts. Thanks for visiting!I just hope that those pesky chatty extroverts would leave us introverts alone. I’m not sure that I am entirely an introvert but certain social expectations do bother me. Paris Hilton skewered by David Letterman Filed under Asides […]
October 5th, 2007 at
I think one of the distinctions between shy and introverted is fear. A shy person is afraid that he or she will be judged or dispised if he or she speaks up or becomes the focus of the conversation. An introvert may not contribute as much to the conversation in general as an extrovert, but it is mostly because he/she is observing, mulling over the points others have made, analyzing the conversation, etc. An introvert can become shy if he or she is mocked for holding back or not speaking up, but just because he or she is not saying anything doesn’t warrant a shy label.
October 5th, 2007 at
Zac
Thank you very much for your well thought out comments. I really appreciate it.
I can definitely see things from your point of view.
With regard to the tone of the article, I assure you that the only reason why it may have come off a little too strong was because I was just acting as the voice for all introverts who wanted to convey the sentiments found in the article.
As for the middle ground you mention, it certainly is a valid point. I think the article wouldâve been much more focused had it established it was written for the extremes on both sides.
With regard to the majority of people, I use the term loosely to describe how most extroverts in my experience and with talking to others, seem to view introverts. Of course, there will be a minority who think otherwise. The majority/minority proportion is just a common phenomenon found in human society. But itâs good to see youâre part of the minority who think otherwise
Thanks again for your comments.
Alvin Cheung
Thanks for your comments and for sharing that little tidbit about deep conversations. It wasnât my intent to imply that all extroverts didnât like it and I apologize if it came across that way. That method you talk about is something I use as well from time to time
RC
Thank you very much for your comments. They are well thought out points from the other perspective.
Jack
Thank you very much for your kind words and for responding to Kid Handsomeâs comments. They are very much appreciated!
Cr
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us regarding your introvert/extrovert relationship. I think itâs something that a lot of people wonder about and it looks like you guys have managed to find that coveted middle ground where you can both feel free to be who you are!
Dave
Thanks for the kind words and thank you in advance for passing the article along. I really appreciate it!
Danielle
I donât think you guys are doomed. I think itâs just a matter of both parties understanding where the other is coming from, in terms of why they do the things they do and planning accordingly to meet the otherâs needs, while at the same time, maintaining a âmiddleâ ground so you both donât feel too overwhelmed.
Maybe you guys can plan nights where you two agree to go out or talk and then switch off the next week. That might be a good start.
But the first thing to do is to help each other understand where youâre coming from and make sure that you understand where the other person is coming from as well. When the lines of communication open and everything is understood, everything will flow from there.
Bela
Thanks for the kind words and of course you can translate it to Hungarian. Just please make sure to credit the source and link back to the article. Thatâs all I ask.
Middleground
Thank you very much for the clarification. I think this is the best response to those who have commented that there is a middle ground and I donât deny that for a second at all. This article was intended to be a little exaggerated and catered to the extremes on both sides and I probably shouldâve made that clear in the beginning.
Iâm glad you still got something out of it though!
Katie
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us. Youâre dead on when you say that itâs important to be on the same page. I think thatâs probably the reason why thereâs so much frustration in introvert/extrovert relationships.
With regard to your query about introvert/extrovert relationships working well, I absolutely think they can and exactly for the reasons youâve stated. I think people subconsciously seek out partners who will âfill inâ the âgapsâ (for lack of a better word) that they have. Relationships are not two, but one.
Myself
Good to see youâll have something to show your peers to get them to understand why you do the things you do
Jason
Thanks for the kind words and for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us. I think a lot of people will agree with your thoughts about shyness and about having the ability to be entertained by oneâs own thoughts.
I also think theyâll also be able to relate to being labeled as shy and having that stigma attached when it happens around other people. Thatâs definitely one of the reasons why I wanted to write the article and clear the air because I see it happen all the time.
Chris
Thank you very much for your honest remarks. I really appreciate it.
I think theyâre very valid and you bring up excellent points, particularly when point out the whole us vs. them attitude that people sometimes get caught up in.
In the end, weâre all human, with our own subtle little differences that make up who we are and I think the more that everyone becomes aware of what those subtle differences are and the reasons behind them, the less strained relationships will be.
Penny
Thank you very much for sharing your honest thoughts with us. I wouldnât be surprised if some readers would be able to relate 100% to what you wrote.
Kid Handsome
I replied to Zacâs comments in this comment and it should be near the beginning. I split my responses in two parts as I didnât have much time.
With regard to your question about the definition of shyness, I think there is a difference between social ineptness and shyness, but I think thereâs a little âspilloverâ effect if you will between the two. If a person is shy, then they wonât have much experience in social situations as they tend to avoid it, and with that lack of experience might come a certain degree of social ineptitude.
And with regard to your question about lively debate, itâs certainly not discouraged in this forum. I welcome it, but the only drawback on my part is that sometimes there are too many comments and debates, and not enough time on my part to reply in a timely manner.
Thank you very much for all your comments and thoughts. They are very much appreciated!
Meg
Excellent point you bring up and I wholeheartedly agree. I think that extroverts arenât really aware of whatâs really going on inside an extrovertâs mind and the easiest conclusion to come up with is to put on the shy label. Thanks for shedding light on that factor.
October 5th, 2007 at
I’m an ambivert, im half extroverted/half introverted. I think ones history, ones family, ones social status, and ones social history plays HUGELY into who they become as adults. I was more extroverted when younger, and over the course of years (im 30 something now) and because of life circumstances and whatnot, have become more and more recluse. But i do crave and like social interaction from time to time and quite enjoy it. My point is that life plays into this a great deal. Nice article, thanxs!
October 5th, 2007 at
i am an introvert trying to change into an extrovert. and it is working, but the only person trying to change me in to an extrovert is me, so i dont feel like a loner. it is a consious decision because i have never like to feel left out anyway.
October 5th, 2007 at
“i am an introvert trying to change into an extrovert. ”
People…. STOP this insanity! Just because Steve Pavlina or some other “expert” said you could turn into an extrovert, it doesn’t mean that you can do it! Introversion is not a “Bad Thing”TM
Introversion is not about being shy, or socially handicapped! You can be a very outspoken introvert and as I said earlier… each introvert has an extroverted side but using that side more often doesn’t mean that you will become an extrovert… just that you will exhibit extroverted behavior sometimes. Inside you will remain an introvert forever! People NEED you to be an introvert.
The best relationships are between one introvert and one extrovert. The so called Duality relationship is the easiest ticket to that “Synergy - When the whole is greater than the sum of the parts” that Stephen Covey speaks about in 7 Habits. When and introvert interacts with his/hers complementary extrovert synergy happens by default.
I love being an introvert and if you are one I suggest to follow Bob Proctor’s advice and find out as much as possible about yourself… you will to feel like kissing yourself…
October 6th, 2007 at
[…] Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts (tags: psychology culture) […]
October 6th, 2007 at
[…] Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts - someone ought to tell them, even if they don’t. […]
October 6th, 2007 at
[…] Proud to be an Introvert !! [Source : http://briankim.net/blog/2007/10/top-5-things-every-extrovert-should-know-about-introverts/] […]
October 7th, 2007 at
Wow I really enjoyed your article, I don’t understand why people would disagree with it at all. Being an introvert myself, let me just say it was spot on and totally accurate. Only thing that made me upset was reading those mean comments… I mean, to think you put that much work into something and someone just HAS to be a prick and say “ooooo it’s period, not period of time!!!” WOW, get a life! While I did notice a couple “grammatical oddities”, they are probably just related your natural way of speaking. In my opinion that isn’t a bad thing at all because reading the article gave me the feeling that you were actually talking to us, instead of just spouting off facts from a medical journal. Thank you very much for the great read, I needed that after having a terrible week of extroverts trashing me for no reason on “okcupid.com”, to the point where I had to delete my profile it was so bad. Maybe you should do a reverse article, as right now I’m under the impression that all extroverts are dumb, heartless assholes! Take care! Thanks again for the great read, I will pass it on.
October 7th, 2007 at
[…] Second, Brian Kim wrote a really good article earlier this week called ‘Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts‘. Being generally introverted myself, I really appreciate the fact that he’s written this and think that it’s something everyone (extrovert and introvert likewise) should read. No Comments so far Leave a comment Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong> […]
October 7th, 2007 at
[…] This article struck a chord with me, I guess because it goes in to bat for us in the ‘more introverted’ camp. The slightly frustrating thing about it is the oversimplified definitions and the fact that attention is only paid to extreme extroverts and extreme introverts, whereas i think almost all of us fall somewhere in between. But it’s an interesting read, and hey it made me feel a bit better about myself and my somewhat excessive need for ‘alone time’!!! […]
October 7th, 2007 at
[…] Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net […]
October 8th, 2007 at
[…] Listen Up, All You Extroverts (or, Read Up! in this case) 8 10 2007 Nice to see this in writing. It would help a lot of situations if more extroverts understood these things about introverts. […]
October 8th, 2007 at
[…] Pretty interesting article on the Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts, I don’t really agree with everything in it but still I must say it’s neat […]
October 8th, 2007 at
[…] Both examples involved two people with polar opposite Myers-Briggs personality types - ISTJ (Tom) and ENTP (Jerry). I was planning on giving everyone a primer on the differences between the types, but fortunately for us this fabulous article on the difference between introverts and extroverts kickstarted it for me. […]
October 9th, 2007 a