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Introverts didn't 'win' lockdown

bbc.com

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Re: Introverts didn't 'win' lockdown

#21

Post by slfawr_intrvrt »

ballenf wrote: post #4

Was just watching Youtube video Veritassium about the non-existence of learning styles yesterday. I wonder if similar studies would show that there really are no introverts vs. extroverts in the sense that all people really have roughly the same need for human contact. Kind of like everyone needs physical activity, but some people gravitate more to it than others. Probably the wrong forum to voice such a theory...

Throwaway because personal. Here’s my experience as an introvert: I don’t feel compelled to actively seek out social interaction. And it drains me.

But ... if I don’t get it, I start feeling depression symptoms and go sort of insane. Heck, it took me a while to even figure out there was a connection between the two and those symptoms had an easy fix!

I compare it to people who can’t feel pain [1] in that I’m hurting myself but don’t immediately recognize the source of the pathology.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congenital_insensitivity_to_pa...

Re: Introverts didn't 'win' lockdown

#22

Post by enriquto »

optimalsolver wrote: post #3

Article doesn't speak for me. You extroverts will never drag me into an office again.

Your words do not correspond to my experience either. The extroverts of my job seem to do fairly well doing WFH, they are able to chain their 1h meetings without pauses in-between, and fill-in their whole time doing extrovert stuff.

But not me. I'm a hard-core introvert, and the lockdown has been a nightmare to me! I've felt completely isolated and sad, can't get anything done. Often I have to cancel zoom meetings because I'm so down that I cannot bear to talk to other people. At least going to a physical place with my colleagues forced me to dress and stand, and from that I could work, even if I didn't speak much. I don't think I would be able to survive another month working from home. Fortunately, it seems that in September we'll be able to go back to semi-normal.

Re: Introverts didn't 'win' lockdown

#23

Post by dannyw »

Graffur wrote: post #5
optimalsolver wrote: post #3

Article doesn't speak for me. You extroverts will never drag me into an office again.

I'm an introvert but like being in the office. I don't like the commute though so will try to maximize WFH.

Same. The cost is the commute, but the benefit is a relatively nice office where I can focus, meeting rooms, healthy and delicious lunch, and opportunity to talk to my coworkers if I want to.

I like being at home, but I also like not being at home. Even if I'm just working by myself.

Re: Introverts didn't 'win' lockdown

#25

Post by thayne »

This result doesn't match my experience. As an introvert, I did find the lockdown, and especially working from home liberating. But perhaps that is because I am married with children, so I still had some social interaction.

Re: Introverts didn't 'win' lockdown

#26

Post by themodelplumber »

ballenf wrote: post #4

Was just watching Youtube video Veritassium about the non-existence of learning styles yesterday. I wonder if similar studies would show that there really are no introverts vs. extroverts in the sense that all people really have roughly the same need for human contact. Kind of like everyone needs physical activity, but some people gravitate more to it than others. Probably the wrong forum to voice such a theory...

All people are introverts

Some people are introverts

No one is an introvert

These are each true depending on the framing, and this aspect is even true to the original Jungian theory. Maybe that helps explain why quantification and studies can only go so far. Similar with learning styles...

IMO holding any model lightly is a good idea. That way you don't need studies as badly when you have a conflicting result in which an introvert desperately wants to head to a party.

Re: Introverts didn't 'win' lockdown

#27

Post by cryptica »

ballenf wrote: post #4

Was just watching Youtube video Veritassium about the non-existence of learning styles yesterday. I wonder if similar studies would show that there really are no introverts vs. extroverts in the sense that all people really have roughly the same need for human contact. Kind of like everyone needs physical activity, but some people gravitate more to it than others. Probably the wrong forum to voice such a theory...

You must be an extrovert.

I don't think it's black and white. It's more like a spectrum. Some people become more drained than others when hanging around other people. Also, some people like to hang out with many different people each day while others prefer to see more or less the same person every day.

I'm an introvert, I have very few friends but very good friends. I find most relationships to be too superficial to my liking. What's the point of having a friend if you know that this friend is capable of betraying you to gain a tiny advantage? I'm a pretty good judge of people and I find that at least 90% of people are far too selfish (not altruistic enough) to make good friends.

It's too draining to hang around the majority of people because I don't like them and pretending to is exhausting and frankly I don't see the point.

I can only be friends with people who are as altruistic as I am (or close to it)... Why would you want to spend time with people who are constantly trying to take something from you? That's the definition of a parasite.

My theory is that people with low altruism are themselves more likely to tolerate other people with low altruism. They might even prefer them since they feel more familiar. That may be part of the reason why psychopaths end up grouping together; aside from their shared thirst for power.

Re: Introverts didn't 'win' lockdown

#28

Post by kristofferR »

tboyd47 wrote: post #20

There aren’t any measurable elements of personality that are fixed. Personality changes as you age. I’ve witnessed a reversal in each of the Myers-Briggs markers in the past 15 years (from INTJ to ESFP) — not intentionally, but that’s just the way my life played out. I’ve come to see the truth of the matter like this: every human being has a need for socializing, but it takes effort and is exhausting. The amount of e…

Agree!

One of the most harmful beliefs about the concept of intro-/extroversion is that it is something you are and not something you do. Many people limit themselves massively because of how they've labeled themselves.

Especially in "strong introverts", the label is often used as a convenient excuse for not going through the often painful process of trying to improve their confidence skills and social skills. "I'm an introvert" is often the easy way out.

Re: Introverts didn't 'win' lockdown

#29

Post by luffapi »

> Posts across social media platforms suggest that, as many countries reduce their social distancing guidelines, many introverts have been pleasantly surprised by their increased opportunities to meet people face-to-face.

This article reads like pro-return to office propaganda. Drawing conclusions from “posts across social media” (posts not included).

* Remote work

* Delivery of everything

* Don’t have to talk to delivery driver, goods left on door

There are a lot of major shifts that happened due to COVID that are absolutely pro-introvert.

Re: Introverts didn't 'win' lockdown

#30

Post by dannyw »

MattGaiser wrote: post #18

So what was it that made one a winner of lockdown? As I was definitely a winner. This discussion is going to flood with people who also where quite cozy under lockdown. What is the difference there?

• being wealthy (stocks, property, crypto exploded)

• office job, bonus points if open office or long commute

• in a relationship or happily single

• not laid off

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