Thank You, Science

Here’s a trendy article: Caring for Your Introvert. It’s got some great lines – Science has learned a good deal in recent years about the habits and requirements of introverts. But it also does this thing where the second half of the article loses steam and starts randomly insulting small talk. This is something I’ve seen lots of introverts do, and it bothers me.

We call ourselves introverts because talking to people who are new and/or numerous enervates the fuck out of us. Which is entirely true, as far as I’m concerned. Lots of people genuinely enjoy lots of things that are tiring, though (runner’s highs and Arnold Schoenberg come to mind), so why the comparison between friendly banter and toxic fog?

Anyway, if anyone reads this article and still feels like an extrovert at the end, I’d like to hear about it. Also, the best comment thread I’ve seen so far is at Electrolite – the use of science fiction conventions as an example of social interaction is as adorable as a baby with Vulcan ears.

Comments

  1. Eloriane wrote:

    I am exceedingly introverted. I sent the article to my even more exceedingly extroverted “friend” – hoping she would have some idea why I didn’t want to talk to her 24 hours a day and why I didn’t want to spend all day at her house and THEN have a sleepover and why I was always thinking about something but not saying it and why I got annoyed when she wouldn’t stop talking and why I never went to basketball games or dances and why a million things she is always carping me about.
    Instead, she said “thanks so much for chatting with me…like, not really!” and signed off.
    so much for that plan…next time I’ll bonk her on the head and tell her I don’t give a damn about how much she hates whatever it is she’s blathering about. Maybe she’ll be surprised enough that I cursed that she’ll shut up for once.

  2. vladster wrote:

    I guess it’s common for the people who are “misunderstood” by their peers for their unjustified pseudo-elitist attitude to seek reasons in their “processing information differently” and being “more intelligent” and “sensitive”. That guy should get a life,.

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