Introverts are never less alone than when alone. They thrive on solitude and gain energy in isolation — reading, thinking, and talking to themselves. They're exhausted by group events and are among the first to seek the exits from the party (if they ever show up!). Introverts hope that nobody's home when they call, so they can leave a message and avoid personal contact.
Extroverts (or extraverts) come alive in a crowd. They don't know what they're thinking until they've had a chance to say it to somebody else. They wilt and shrivel when kept away from social contact. Extroverts roam the halls in hopes of a chance meeting; they knock on doors; they wave flags to attract attention.
Real people float between the extremes. Some spend most of their time happily hiding in caves — but when they emerge, watch out! Others live to party — except when they can't stand the sight of another person. The trick is to recognize where somebody is on the spectrum, and to allow for their current state. The hard trick is to do that for one's self.
Friday, May 05, 2000 at 05:47:26 (EDT) = 2000-05-05
(correlates: DimensionsOfVoting, Jane Eyre, CouponsAndRebatesAndOffersOhMy, ...)