I read a piece on introversion lately that was mostly kind of cool, but one line made me want to explode.\u00a0 It dealt with karaoke and why an introvert doesn\u2019t want to get up and perform karaoke.\u00a0 Something to do with being terrified of getting up in front of the public and performing, if I recall correctly.<\/p>\n
Friends, this is no more a hallmark of introversion than is blue eyes.<\/p>\n
Being an introvert is not about being scared<\/em> of being in the public eye.\u00a0 In fact, being afraid of public speaking is an incredibly common fear that runs across the introvert\/extrovert lines and has more to do with being a human being than it does with one\u2019s mental orientation.<\/p>\n What\u2019s actually a pretty common pattern is for an introvert to be a pretty accomplished public speaker, but find that she detests noisy parties.\u00a0 Being an introvert isn\u2019t about being scared<\/em>.\u00a0 It\u2019s about being drained<\/em> by too much interpersonal contact.<\/p>\n The introversion=shyness thing tends to get to rub me the wrong way.\u00a0 I think partially because there is an underlying implication that the introversion needs to be cured, but also because if someone doesn\u2019t know me well, they\u2019ll deny I\u2019m an introvert and interpret my behavior from an extroverted frame of reference.<\/p>\n Ferinstance, if someone sees that because I am not shy that I am an extrovert, but only want to socialize with them on a limited or irregular basis, they\u2019ll interpret that as me not liking them very much, but don\u2019t want to say so.\u00a0 If they were to see me as the introvert that I am, they recognize that I just need to be alone a whole bunch and it has nothing at all to do with my fondness or not for them as people.<\/p>\n I remember once teaching a class and mentioning being an introvert.\u00a0 I forget why it was brought up, but since I was teaching, I was probably looking for an illustrative example of something.\u00a0 One of the class members immediately said, \u201cBut you\u2019re<\/em> not shy<\/em>![1]<\/a>\u201d[2]<\/a><\/p>\n No, I\u2019m not.\u00a0 I even enjoy public speaking.<\/p>\n For the last time, fear of being in the spotlight is not<\/em> an introversion\/extroversion thing.\u00a0 It\u2019s a not-too-unusual people<\/em> thing.\u00a0 \u2018Kay?<\/p>\n
[1]<\/a> Nancybuttons<\/a> sells a button I really should buy.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not shy.\u00a0 I\u2019m studying my prey.\u201d<\/p>\n