This past week the class conversation came to an interesting discussion and a few questions arose. Who is an introvert and who is an extrovert? What qualities define these kinds of people? Is it possible for someone to be both? This topic interested me and for the rest of the week I pondered these questions both inside and outside of class.
The conversation arose when Mr. Allen asked for some of the quieter students, or "observers", to speak up a little more in class and for the students who participate frequently, or "talkers", to give the observers more of a chance to add to the discussion. An observer (as defined by Mr. Allen) is not neccessarily shy and is certainly not a bad person, but they just choose to sit back and listen, absorbing information and making observations to themselves rather than to the rest of the class. I realize it is important to have a balance between observers and talkers, otherwise nothing would be said or nothing would be heard. I think in our class there is a good balance, which is why the conversation flows so well.
The conversation then turned to the point of what defines an introvert and an extrovert. Mr. Allen said he was an introvert, not because he is shy or quiet, but because he enjoys being alone sometimes. He also said that an introvert does like to be around people, but being around people tires them out. An extrovert, on the other hand, is charged up from being around others. Hearing what Mr. Allen and some of my classmates had to say I decided I would come to my own definition of intorverted and extroverted, and then classify myself as one or the other.
After much thought this is how I defined the two:
Introvert: someone who does not need company all the time and enjoys their alone time. Also, they can enjoy the company of people, they just can't take too much of large groups and being in groups tires them out. They don't like attention drawn to themselves or being embarrassed. They let the conversation come to them. Common misconception: introverts are not necessarily shy and quiet. They do not hate other people. I would define that as a recluse or an anti-social.
Extrovert: someone who enjoys the company of others and is much happier around others than alone. They thrive on talking and attention. They are happy and charged up rather than tired after being in large groups. They like to create and encourage conversation. Common misconseptions: extroverts do not necessarily have huge egos and are not annoying and overly-talkitive. I would define that as egotistical or stuck up.
I think the overall realization I came to was that being introverted or extroverted is just as much how you feel on the inside and what you like as it is about how much you talk and interact with others. So, now there was one question left to answer: can someone be both? The answer, I realized, was in myself.
When thinking about whether I was introverted or extroverted, I thought of the characteristics I had defined each as and which ones I possessed. For the most part I enjoy being in groups. I like to work in groups and think of myself as being pretty social. However, this is mainly around close friends and family. When I am in a small group, I am talkative and energetic. In large groups I am usually reserved and could be defined as an observer. It is not shyness, it's just that I prefer to hear what other's have to say and I let the conversation come to me. Around new people I am sometimes shy but, once I get comfortable around people I am talkative and sometimes wild. I tend to be energized by being in groups rather than be tired out.
From these observations I realized it is possible to be both introverted and extroverted, because I am.
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