Theres nothing worse than people who are only interested in themselves. A hardcore introvert can be bloody boring. I often fit that mould unfort. But occasionally I take a real shine to others and become absorbed in their talk. But no one is interesting forever. Even Jordan Peteron can become dull. One advantage to being an extrovert is that by taking an interest in others problems you begin to diminish your own or even solve them. Socialising takes our mind off ourselves. Its not all about us. We join the human race.
I actually feel kind of guilty about my faux-extroversion. Often people think I am extroverted, which I am not. I just have this strong desire for people around me to be happy, or at least not upset. So, I often fill the void by asking them questions I don't care about but think they would like to talk about. I enthusiastically respond to their chatter with lies. Oh yes I know exactly the place you are talking about. Sure yes the food there is great! Yes absolutely we should get together some time in the future, how about after I am dead? I have been trying to fix that bit though. It makes me feel guilty, and so I've been forcing myself to be honest. No I don't know what you are talking about. You had a fight with your boyfriend? Yes I think you were in the wrong. People who are my actual friends will get the truth from me. Everyone else are just NPC. People complain that they hate when someone phones them instead of texting them. I hate when people phone or text me. Email me, and I will respond when the mood strikes me. I hate that societal pressure to be available. When I decide that I am going to allow someone in, I will always preface the friendship with some honesty. I am a shit friend, and I will probably never go out when you ask me, but please do ask me because I like being asked. Don't expect me to reply to your messages right away unless your dog died, in which case I will be there ASAP. Yes I like you, but it takes a lot of energy to be social. It's fucking exhausting.
I laughed when I read the idea of other people being NPC. Yes, that's absolutely how it feels sometimes!
Dude... I don't think introversion and being only interested in yourself are quite the same thing. I guess one could adopt a similarly unformed reasoning when looking at extroversion and say that people who always feel the need to talk and share themselves have little interest in what others have to say or give (and I've actually heard that a few times, too). Neither is really pertinent. I'm not sure what a hardcore introvert would be - someone who never talks, someone who wants no friends, someone it's impossible for anyone ever to get to know? I've never met such a person. Some of us are only able to reveal ourselves in layers, I don't believe this to actually be a problem but I understand it is to some. I'd agree that an introvert is just as likely to be boring as someone who isn't, though again I'd suggest the notion you appear to describe that introversion is broadly considered to make someone interesting is erroneous. Being perceived as both dull and dense because you are a little awkward and rarely appear to have much to say is an experience shared by many introverts, particularly in the workplace (yes, close to home). I also fail to see a relation between extroversion and actively taking interest in other's problems - clearly our understanding of what extroversion really encompasses would differ also. I think there's no issue per say with introversion. I think there's no issue per say with extroversion. I think there are important issues in the way introverts and extroverts often fail to relate to each other, and that mutual acceptance and appreciation for who the other person is are most of the answer. I personally have a need for both introverts and extroverts (or ambiverts) in my life and always have. "Socialising takes our mind off ourselves" - well, friend, socialising is self-care for an extrovert in the same way that quiet time is self-care for an introvert, so I'd say neither needs to apologise. Also, socialising is as much about receiving as it is about giving - it probably isn't necessary to make it sound any more noble than that, then. And this is something introverts would also know since they do love socialising - they just can't handle it for half as long as introverts can, and not with too many people at once.
