Welcome to the World of Introverts

Darn. I am supposed to be studying for an assessment tomorrow. While attempting to gulp down facts from a 150-paged manual on reptiles, my brain refused to cooperate. When I told it to cut the act and focus, it was literally blogging away inside my head. Being the bad multi-tasker, I had to step out of my books for a bit to get this over with.

The other day, I was spending some quality time with Ginger when I had a realisation. I can't imagine why it didn't hit me before this! Here it is: cats are introverts. And THAT'S why I find it easy to have fulfilling relationships with them. No disrespect to dogs, though. I had several dog-friends growing up and I've adored all of them as much as they adored me and I have found great traits in them like how they are ever so faithful and not prone to mood swings. But in general, they have too much energy, they are loud, they demand lots of active attention, they are unpredictable, they have little sense of other's personal boundaries and they drain me out really fast - they are extroverts in the animal world. Cats on the other hand - very calm, to the point, they value the concept of privacy, they know when to call it quits with the attention-seeking before it becomes a chore, they listen (or do a good job of pretending to), they give others a turn to react, they have a soothing purr and they don't pull any surprises that I can't handle. Again, no disrespect to dogs or my extroverted friends and bear with me as I try to make a case.

The Internet is a wonderful thing with countless possibilities. I can go on about it, but instead, I'll just point out that it's probably the best thing that was ever invented for introverts. Finally, something much more powerful than printed media and the postal service came out for introverts to express themselves, be heard and network with other introverts. Something which they don't usually tend to do otherwise, see? Thanks to all the developments, introverts have been identified, encouraged, empowered and are slowly gaining a reputation that they are worthy of. Heck, it took me - an introvert - over twenty five years to identify and completely accept that side to me and understand the various ways in which it affects my life and the world at large. Up until then, with all the information I gathered from the world outside, I arrived at the conclusion that there was something utterly wrong with me. So it's quite understandable that in an extrovert-dominated world, introverts are most often misunderstood and under-appreciated, much like any other minority.

I came across a blog with a list of debunked myths about introverts that sums it up very nicely and I quote (only the comments in red are mine):

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. (OMG, YES). Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.

Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite. And don't pull out lame start up lines like comments about the weather or asking for the time, when you clearly have a phone to look it up.

Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. We don't really want to know what you did over the weekend, if we are not close to you or didn't ask you about it. And it's unlikely we'll tell you all the things we did over the weekend, if we are not close to you or sense that you are just asking for the sake of making conversation. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting. But rest assured, they can be kind and sensitive people, if you give them a chance.

Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.

Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts. Or we get very moody or worse, contemplate on turning into serial killers. 

Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. They are hardly bored. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with or have a creative outlet. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.

Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy. And for this reason, they are also very understanding and accommodating of other "weird" people around them.

Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.

Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up. And PLEASE don't give us lectures on how to go out, unwind and meet new people to have fun or how much we are missing out on life by not having an active social life. You are making no sense at all. Trust me on this one. 

Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. Yes, and together we complement each other and make the world a more interesting and productive place.

Introversion and extroversion lie on the opposite ends of the same scale, so not all introverts have the characteristics above in the same intensities. Also, being an introvert or an extrovert is just a default setting that requires the least amount of energy but everyone is capable of stepping out of their comfort zones if the need arises, with a little extra determination and effort. And it is important that they do, sometimes.

Here's a nice help sheet, courtesy of Google Images. I don't agree with 6 and 10 - if only Life came with advanced notices! so try not to spoil them, plus losing that one best friend who probably took ages to bond with would be devastating to an introvert

Now that I've spoken on behalf of all the introverts out there, I feel much better. 

Ah yes, one more thing.

Normally, I don't speak to strangers, not even to those on the internet (not without good reason or proper background checks). Because I imagine they are mostly criminals (Shu, you really need to go easy on watching the crime and investigation channel) or otherwise normal people who will track me down and try to make small talk. But as I did a little research for my post, I stumbled on this noteworthy blog:
http://katemcmillanblogs.wordpress.com.

This blogger has a knack for saying a lot of things with just a few words (which is refreshing, as you must be already tired of reading this long-winded post to get to this line) but more than that, is a cool comic artist! And I have gone as far as "stealing" the initial (interesting) conversation thread and pasting it here, with the excuse that it is somehow very remotely relevant to the theme of this post.

Shuri says:

Hey, you draw some cool stuff and relate things in an amusing way  I’m not a creepy stalker, btw. I just happened to do some research on introverts (my species) today and Google pointed me to one of your posts. Then I thought the fonts, colours and layout of your blog looked rather interesting.

katemcmillanblogs says:

Yay! A friendly (not creepy stalker) visitor! Welcome!  Haha, I’m glad you found the posts worth looking at. That is always nice to hear.
I hope your research was successful. 
Drop in again whenever you like!