introversion and extroversion

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I am not a fan of the terms introversion and extroversion. Also, I don't know much about Jung and his psychology.
I still use the terms as no person so far has given me a better terminology.
When people look at my behaviour in social situations they see that I am often not very animated and extroverted. I guess this sounds like an ASD stereotype.
As a person who practice acting I must say that even in acting extroversion can be difficult. It's like I have to go in and out of extroversion but introversion is always there with me.
I mention acting as it is not about normal social situations. It's like extroversion is something that I just have to slowly go into and out of. I say this because extroversion is not just about having difficulties with social situations. One could probably say that I have to play an extroverted person. Maybe it is a bit like acting.

Do you find that this is true for you as well? Do you avoid situations that forces you to be very extroverted?
I guess the acting I do is the adult version of the child's play. I don't really know but many introverted people are good at playing (as long as the social aspects are not too difficult).
Extroversion is about playing and therefore not about you being someone else than who you are. Many introverted people can become extroverted when playing but struggle with it in normal social situations.
What are your thoughts?

Most people are ambiverts, meaning they have both introvert and extrovert tendencies. I know I am. I can be shy, yet I like being around people and chatting. Socialising doesn't mentally exhaust me like how others on the spectrum describe.
I do tend to shy away from bars and clubs because I get all self-conscious in those sorts of places, like a social anxiety. But I jump at the chance of going to other social scenes such as family gatherings, meals, weddings, barbecues, birthday parties, etc - as long as it isn't held in a bar or club full of drunken teenagers at night time. I'm more of a "daytime socialiser" and I just find bars full of youngsters immature and daunting for someone teetotal like myself.

So yeah, I may shy away from some social situations but be drawn to other social situations.

Jung had some useful things to say, but I find these terms too simple and black and white. I'm not sure any of us is either of these things, except situationally...and even then, I'm not sure I'm convinced.

"Socialising doesn't mentally exhaust me"? What does that even refer to?


It can be a bit black and white but I am sure that most people take what Jung said and simplify it too much.
Jung said that the types are not that static.

In discussions about introversion and extroversion, introverts are often described as having a short social battery. That they become tired and need more time alone than extroverts to recharge mentally. Everyone (even the most extroverted of extroverts) need time alone to recover after socialising, but more introverted individuals are thought to need more time to do so. That they tire easily.

Personally, I find this quite fitting. I am exhausted after being around people. However, it depends on the person in question. I think it's great when I find someone who is easy to talk to and I don't feel like taking a nap after talking to them for several hours. Whereas, with other people I feel like taking a nap after our conversation because it was mentally draining. So, I would consider myself to be on the introverted side.

Almost everyone is an ambivert, with the idea being that most people lean more one way or the other (this may change over time - people can become more introverted or more extroverted over their life) instead of sitting at either extreme. People who do sit at such extremes often have an underlying issue. I can be extroverted, but it takes areas of interest being brought up for me to truly become talkative. Alternatively, if the other person has their own interest they excitedly want to talk about, seeing them energised makes me feel energised as well. It takes a certain type of person for me to feel at ease. Otherwise I feel a bit weary talking and may come across as shy.

In the world around 50% of the people are INTROVERTS and 50% are EXTROVERTS. But most people do not reside in the extreme but rather more in the middle.

I just dashed into the Internet and came up with the following:
Introverts and extroverts are often viewed in terms of two extreme opposites, but the truth is that most people lie somewhere in the middle.

The article then went on to say:
Being an introvert does not mean that you are socially anxious or shy.

People who are introverted tend to be inward turning, or focused more on internal thoughts, feelings and moods rather than seeking out external stimulation.

Introverts tend to be more quiet, reserved, and introspective. Unlike extroverts who gain energy from social interaction, introverts have to expend energy in social situations.

They have finally hit upon a key word ENERGY. I am an introvert and I get my internal batteries charged by being alone. An extrovert gets their batteries recharged by being with other people.

Now I can function in an extrovert environment such as giving a presentation to 100 people. But the way this is accomplished is that I rehearse what I will say in advance and also determine all the potential questions and prepare answers to those questions IN ADVANCE.

I once gave a paper. It was about a 40 page presentation. But I also prepared another 100 pages to answer potential questions. It turned out that this was a rough meeting. In the end I had to utilize all of these potential question. A simple 30 minute presentation, took around an hour and a half.
What was the result - I NAILED IT.

What I really dislike is the thinking that you are either alone or with other people. It's kind of black and white. I am not saying that you think like this but some seem to do that.
Here's the thing: there are many ways of being alone and many of them do not recharge me at all. Many social situations recharge me even more than being alone. Whatever "recharge" refers to...but people use the term. It's like they think humans are batteries.

Like any reductionist construct, the introvert-extrovert parameter has its problems, and only provides a crude grasp of what's going on in most real people, being more useful when dealing with people at the extremes - those who are constantly immersed in social stuff and those who are practically hermits for their entire lives.

Me, I'm a bit like a crystal child - very sociable when I feel that the people concerned are right for me, much more reclusive when I don't. I see most mainstream people as being rather off my wavelength and unsuitable, but a few "like minds" have drifted into my world and I feel much more relaxed and sociable with them. As I seem to have little control over who wants to associate with me (though occasionally the pain and fear of isolation has motivated me to put some energy into fixing the problem, sometimes quite successfully, for a time at least), the degree to which I mix with others has always been rather in the lap of the gods, and can swing widely between extremes. By some quirk of fate I became a musician when I was young, and if not for that I'd probably have had very little to do with people apart from the occasional relationship. Music has been quite a social goldmine for me.

My social skills can be quite good as long as the social environment is suitable - I would flounder at a gathering in which nobody was particularly inclusive or friendly towards me, but if they're prepared to give me some attention without my having to shout up or work hard to get that attention, I think I'm usually fairly genial and friendly back.

Try assigning an introvert-extrovert number to that little lot.

As I said at the very beginning:

In the world around 50% of the people are INTROVERTS and 50% are EXTROVERTS. But most people do not reside in the extreme but rather more in the middle.

For me the big question is: why is extroversion often thought of as the same thing as social?
Don't we have other ways of being extroverted?
Who came uo with the idea that the only way to be extroverted is being social?
As an introvert even non-social extroverted behaviour can feel a bit unnatural sonetimes (even if I am good at it).
I think my introversion isn't that much of social thing. It is more about how I behave general.

It seems you're right:

"Being an introvert does not mean that you are socially anxious or shy."

https://www.verywellmind.com/signs-you- ... rt-2795427
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Nonetheless, a lot of the characteristics of introversion (such as needing to "recharge" alone, enjoying solitude, and people thinking the introvert quiet and hard to get to know) would seem the kind of things that might be expected to reduce an introvert's "social footprint." So I can see why people see introversion/extroversion as a social thing.

enjoying solitude? I know "introverted" people who don't really want that much solitude. Many "extroverted" people are more into solitude.
We are all into stereotypes!
What is often not mentioned in the discussion of introversion and extroversion is this: people can be either extroverted or introverted due ADHD, ASD and so on.

Of course. That's why I explained earlier that I see the introvert-extrovert thing as a limited, reductionist construct.

I don't exactly enjoy solitude either. I appreciate its wonderful advantages but it also makes me feel uneasy, which spoils the fun to a degree.

Hmm, I like this energy explanation. I do feel "charged" after interacting with people, sometimes way too much. I appreciate solitude, that's when I get a lot of things done. I'm way too distracted when other people are around and just want to jabber to do much work. Introverts think I talk their heads off, extroverts think I'm rather quiet. I think most people are like that. It's all relative.