Are people who post online introverts?

[Hugo]

Are prolific message board posters and tweeters by and large people who are relatively introverted?

Naturally those of us who discovered message boards enjoy engaging in discussions with people who have similar passions and interests. However, is there a certain type of person who is more inclined to use them? People who are good writers but aren't as good in face to face conversation? People who are by nature shy and inhibited but feel safe using an anonymous handle on a forum?

For me it is an efficient way to communicate with people who have similar interests but I do worry that in the years I have used the internet to facilitate discussion that it has detracted from my real life social life. Does anyone feel the same?

What about people that practically live online? Is it good that they have companionship to alleviate loneliness or is it thwarting real life experiences?

[Raggs]

If anything I'd say my online posting has reduced my more obvious signs of introversy (to coin a word).

I still normally prefer my own company, or at least the freedom to be in my own company whenever I wish. And being in crowds is draining for me. When I was younger I was just plain awkward in social settings, now I'm more capable and give less of a fuck (which probably helps), still find that after being with a group of people for a couple of hours leaves me wanting to spend the next few hours alone though.

[Sandstorm]

I rite ok, talk better.

[Hugo]

If anything I'd say my online posting has reduced my more obvious signs of introversy (to coin a word).

I still normally prefer my own company, or at least the freedom to be in my own company whenever I wish. And being in crowds is draining for me. When I was younger I was just plain awkward in social settings, now I'm more capable and give less of a fuck (which probably helps), still find that after being with a group of people for a couple of hours leaves me wanting to spend the next few hours alone though.

I'm with you on crowds.

I generally don't like how people behave when in large groups as compared to when they are alone. Always seems like humans are dumber when you put them in group settings.

[sockwithaticket]

Are prolific message board posters and tweeters by and large people who are relatively introverted?

Naturally those of us who discovered message boards enjoy engaging in discussions with people who have similar passions and interests. However, is there a certain type of person who is more inclined to use them? People who are good writers but aren't as good in face to face conversation? People who are by nature shy and inhibited but feel safe using an anonymous handle on a forum?

For me it is an efficient way to communicate with people who have similar interests but I do worry that in the years I have used the internet to facilitate discussion that it has detracted from my real life social life. Does anyone feel the same?

What about people that practically live online? Is it good that they have companionship to alleviate loneliness or is it thwarting real life experiences?

These are signs of the socially awkward rather than the introverted. Introversion/extroversion are about what generates and saps energy from a person.

[Hugo]

Are prolific message board posters and tweeters by and large people who are relatively introverted?

Naturally those of us who discovered message boards enjoy engaging in discussions with people who have similar passions and interests. However, is there a certain type of person who is more inclined to use them? People who are good writers but aren't as good in face to face conversation? People who are by nature shy and inhibited but feel safe using an anonymous handle on a forum?

For me it is an efficient way to communicate with people who have similar interests but I do worry that in the years I have used the internet to facilitate discussion that it has detracted from my real life social life. Does anyone feel the same?

What about people that practically live online? Is it good that they have companionship to alleviate loneliness or is it thwarting real life experiences?

These are signs of the socially awkward rather than the introverted. Introversion/extroversion are about what generates and saps energy from a person.

Gotcha.

[FujiKiwi]

In three generations of my family, the introverts are more socially aware and adept, and the extroverts more socially clueless, unlikely to read the room and more likely to make faux pas.

[stemoc]

Nerds vs Jocks actually..

[Niegs]

Generally speaking, I’m most comfortable with solitude but need some kind of periodic interaction. I also don’t like large groups where one’s meant to ‘mingle’ but am quite comfortable anonymously floating through crowds. In smaller groups of people I know, I can lead and carry the convo as much as anyone. It can be draining though, the days I coach especially, and the next day I usually won’t hang with anyone.

I like forums for the random topics and the ability to jump in / out when I feel like it. I’m crap at holding focus on things so occasionally check while taking a quick break while WFH or while watching a show at home (like now, ep 6 of Hunters on). I have a few friends who are similar, dropping random messages and replies via social media... we’re the type who can send messages back and forth in a ‘conversation’ or with gaps in between without the need to have an immediate answer.

I also use them to share the random shit I find interesting without bombarding my IRL friends with all of it!

[FujiKiwi]

Nerds vs Jocks actually..

Yeah, na. There’s no correlation between sportiness/being more cerebral and being extroverted/introverted.

Sonny Bill Williams comes off as pretty introverted to me, as does Richie McCaw. I’m not sure, but some other sporting superstars such as Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson and Richard Hadlee all seem pretty introverted.

Contrast those guys with a TJ Perenara, or a Muhammad Ali and you’ll see the difference.

[Slick]

I don't particularly like going to business occasions or parties where there are lots of people I'm meant to mingle with, but I think I'm actually pretty good at it.

I like being with a group of people I know well more than I do 1-1, even with my best mates.

Every now and then I just need a bit of time on my own and will take myself off hiking for a day. I used to absolutely love travelling alone, much prefered it to being with someone else and never had a problem approaching a group or individual if I felt like a bit of company.

I do tend to strike up conversations with absolutley anyone in any situation, quite enjoy that, although acutely aware of being that pain in the arse that won't leave you alone after an initial chat.

[Globus]

I'm not introvert. At all. The life and soul of any party.

[sockwithaticket]

I'm not introvert. At all. The life and soul of any party.

If that's supposed to be used as evidence of not being an introvert then you have a flawed understanding of what one is.

There is nothing stopping an introvert from being engaging in a social situation, downright garrulous even, what determines their introversion is whether such interactions de-energise them.

Introverts are energised by solitude and drained by people, but that doesn't mean they're inherently shy or awkward.

[Globus]

I'm not introvert. At all. The life and soul of any party.

If that's supposed to be used as evidence of not being an introvert then you have a flawed understanding of what one is.

There is nothing stopping an introvert from being engaging in a social situation, downright garrulous even, what determines their introversion is whether such interactions de-energise them.

Introverts are energised by solitude and drained by people, but that doesn't mean they're inherently shy or awkward.

Crikey. Thanks Sigmund. Stick to the day job.

[JM2K6]

I think he just knows what words mean


I'd say there's a mix of introverts and extroverts. People who live on the internet probably have a degree of obsessive behaviour (fed by the infinite nature of social media, natch) which would IMO be the dominant factor rather than whether they're introverts or extroverts.

Most of the PR people I've met would be the latter I expect.

[Globus]

Try Firo B and Myers Briggs. I'm a bit of a whizz on those as I used to use them.

To get some twit trying to be clever on here when they do not know what they are up against.

[sockwithaticket]

Try Firo B and Myers Briggs. I'm a bit of a whizz on those as I used to use them.

To get some twit trying to be clever on here when they do not know what they are up against.

Also known as correcting your obvious misunderstanding with an accurate definition...

Anyway, I'll leave it there, sparring matches with you are a waste of time. Even when clearly in the wrong you just keep going and going.

[Random1]

I'm not introvert. At all. The life and soul of any party.

If that's supposed to be used as evidence of not being an introvert then you have a flawed understanding of what one is.

There is nothing stopping an introvert from being engaging in a social situation, downright garrulous even, what determines their introversion is whether such interactions de-energise them.

Introverts are energised by solitude and drained by people, but that doesn't mean they're inherently shy or awkward.

Not come across that definition before sock. Like globes, I’m much more used to Miles Briggs and things like insights.

Much prefer the definition you use - you got any decent reading/watching suggestions to understand it more?

By that definition I’m an extrovert (if I’ve understood correctly).

I love public speaking, and I get my energy from others seeing how fucking awesome I am.

I do like alone time, and like reading and thinking about things in isolation, and I find that also gives energy, but I think that’s only because it’s a way to improve what I do, and so generate more good feelings from my teams, family, friends, and anyone else!

For me, posting on a forum is a way of testing and debating ideas in a pretty safe arena amongst people from a wide range of back grounds. It’s hard to come by that, in person.

Interesting topic.

[frodder]

In three generations of my family, the introverts are more socially aware and adept, and the extroverts more socially clueless, unlikely to read the room and more likely to make faux pas.

Good post


I'm an introvert and watching extroverts screw up is something I've seen so many times. 1 particular extrovert during a meeting took a delight in telling a FTSE 100 CIO to fudge off.

I cleaned the situation with a dustpan and brush whilst he got fired. Totally couldn't read the room

[sockwithaticket]

I'm not introvert. At all. The life and soul of any party.

If that's supposed to be used as evidence of not being an introvert then you have a flawed understanding of what one is.

There is nothing stopping an introvert from being engaging in a social situation, downright garrulous even, what determines their introversion is whether such interactions de-energise them.

Introverts are energised by solitude and drained by people, but that doesn't mean they're inherently shy or awkward.

Not come across that definition before sock. Like globes, I’m much more used to Miles Briggs and things like insights.

Much prefer the definition you use - you got any decent reading/watching suggestions to understand it more?

By that definition I’m an extrovert (if I’ve understood correctly).

I love public speaking, and I get my energy from others seeing how fucking awesome I am.

I do like alone time, and like reading and thinking about things in isolation, and I find that also gives energy, but I think that’s only because it’s a way to improve what I do, and so generate more good feelings from my teams, family, friends, and anyone else!

For me, posting on a forum is a way of testing and debating ideas in a pretty safe arena amongst people from a wide range of back grounds. It’s hard to come by that, in person.

Interesting topic.

My college psychology teacher pointed me towards the Psychology Today site. I'm sure there's more academic reading out there, but, certainly as a teen/young adult trying to figure myself out, the various postings there were a lot more digestible. As an adult I've not really felt the need to delve too much deeper past the basic definitions there and I mostly dive into articles that look like they might help in day to day life.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/introversion
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/extroversion

Regarding the underlined, as with many things, it's a spectrum. Of course some will be further towards the ends than others, but many, if not most, will land somewhere in between. It sounds like you are primarily an extrovert, but that doesn't mean you can't generate energy from solitude and won't need to from time to time. I'm definitely strongly an introvert, interactions drain me however much I might enjoy them. It's reading articles on PT that helped me with little things like booking a monday off work following an all weekend wedding so that I can actually be useful and not feel dreadful from the tuesday.


As for posting on forums, for me it's primarily about finding people with similar interests who want to go beyond the surface of them. I spend a fair bit of time on Reddit in the metalcore and post-hardcore subs because those two genres are my main listening, but I don't really know anyone irl who likes that stuff. Ditto rugby, it's a minority sport and those I know who do like it aren't necessarily interested in the minutiae or even what I'd consider a significant story (Steve Diamond leaving his role 3 weeks into the season for example).

[Globus]

Nice to have a decent discussion, Sock. My former wife has a Cambridge degree in Psychology so it's not astonishing that I might have a bit of an inkling about the subject.

I ran a member of this palace through a Myers Brigg test. I've kept all the questions and the analysis, somewhere!

I am definitely an extrovert, according to my several tests over the years.

The trouble with being a true introvert is that it appears to be a bit of a failure.

One of my heroes is Alan Turing. Brilliant mind but used to sneak in to the Bletchley hut to avoid contact.

Anyway. No offence intended. Hope you go on to do well.

[sockwithaticket]

Nice to have a decent discussion, Sock. My former wife has a Cambridge degree in Psychology so it's not astonishing that I might have a bit of an inkling about the subject.

I ran a member of this palace through a Myers Brigg test. I've kept all the questions and the analysis, somewhere!

I am definitely an extrovert, according to my several tests over the years.

The trouble with being a true introvert is that it appears to be a bit of a failure.

One of my heroes is Alan Turing. Brilliant mind but used to sneak in to the Bletchley hut to avoid contact.

Anyway. No offence intended. Hope you go on to do well.

I appreciate an attempt to be conciliatory, but do you not see how the bolded rather undermines it and (again) points to a rather flawed understanding, regardless of credentials your ex may posess.

I'm not sure how long ago you parted ways, but a lot of the current understanding around intro and extroversion has changed substantially over the last 30 - 40 years. Thankfully, very few would subscribe to the idea that even the truest of introverts are failures these days.

Turing is at the very least suspected to have been on the ASD spectrum (many outright state it's the case), how far that influenced his behaviours is, alas, impossible to measure.

[Slick]

Good to see Globus feeling better again

[frodder]

Nice to have a decent discussion, Sock. My former wife has a Cambridge degree in Psychology so it's not astonishing that I might have a bit of an inkling about the subject.

I ran a member of this palace through a Myers Brigg test. I've kept all the questions and the analysis, somewhere!

I am definitely an extrovert, according to my several tests over the years.

The trouble with being a true introvert is that it appears to be a bit of a failure.

One of my heroes is Alan Turing. Brilliant mind but used to sneak in to the Bletchley hut to avoid contact.

Anyway. No offence intended. Hope you go on to do well.

We're a great bunch Globus but I wouldn't describe this place as a palace

[Gypo Jenkins]

Nice to have a decent discussion, Sock. My former wife has a Cambridge degree in Psychology so it's not astonishing that I might have a bit of an inkling about the subject.

I ran a member of this palace through a Myers Brigg test. I've kept all the questions and the analysis, somewhere!

I am definitely an extrovert, according to my several tests over the years.

The trouble with being a true introvert is that it appears to be a bit of a failure.

One of my heroes is Alan Turing. Brilliant mind but used to sneak in to the Bletchley hut to avoid contact.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is an interesting profiling tool but its validity is questionable. Of course, It isn't a test because it doesn't produce results, it simply indicates the Myers-Briggs profile of the participant at that time based on forced answers to questions designed to produce a match to one limited personality type or another. Personally, I think there may be more value in the process than arriving at the conclusion since introspective questions can evoke a degree of self-awareness. On the flip side though, being branded by Myers-Briggs as one type or another can place restrictions on personal development. Extroverts love it apparently ....

[Lemoentjie]

Hate mingling. More because I start an interesting conversation with another person, and then someone else comes along and acts like a peeping Tom to the conversation. It's all fake interest on the base level.

[Hugo]

Hate mingling. More because I start an interesting conversation with another person, and then someone else comes along and acts like a peeping Tom to the conversation. It's all fake interest on the base level.

Yeah, that's one of the biggest bugbears of human interaction - superficial people & conversations.

There's a time for chit chat and talking about the weather but there are very few things as annoying as being engrossed in a really fruitful, interesting conversation and having it interrupted by someone whose conversational skills are limited to small talk, cliches and whatever is in the news cycle.

[Globus]

Well. I didn't invent gravity, but I now can (try) to explain it.

I'm an oldie so not up to date with recent understanding, if it exists.

Happy to bow out. Have a good 2021. I'm not terribly enthused but hope the grand kiddiwinks will enjoy a form of the life I've led.

Working on it.

[Random1]

Nice to have a decent discussion, Sock. My former wife has a Cambridge degree in Psychology so it's not astonishing that I might have a bit of an inkling about the subject.

I ran a member of this palace through a Myers Brigg test. I've kept all the questions and the analysis, somewhere!

I am definitely an extrovert, according to my several tests over the years.

The trouble with being a true introvert is that it appears to be a bit of a failure.

One of my heroes is Alan Turing. Brilliant mind but used to sneak in to the Bletchley hut to avoid contact.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is an interesting profiling tool but its validity is questionable. Of course, It isn't a test because it doesn't produce results, it simply indicates the Myers-Briggs profile of the participant at that time based on forced answers to questions designed to produce a match to one limited personality type or another. Personally, I think there may be more value in the process than arriving at the conclusion since introspective questions can evoke a degree of self-awareness. On the flip side though, being branded by Myers-Briggs as one type or another can place restrictions on personal development. Extroverts love it apparently ....

Yeah, completely agree on the limitations of the personality/trait assessments.

The bit I found most useful is on my own self awareness. I was a cocky lad of 25ish working in local government. I was really good at what I did, amongst a pretty decent team (not the usual stereotypical local authority team).

I had a bit about me, so I was put on a coaching programme - part of that was to do a personality/trait assessment by a company called ‘insights’. It was a standard questionnaire, but had the benefit of being coupled with a coach.

I learnt four things

1 I’m not cocky for cocky’s sake; it’s a coping mechanism and something I had fallen into, as being arrogant essentially scared people off challenging me, and mentally, if someone disagreed with me, I could just partition it as, well, I’m smarter, so I’m right. It also protected me from introspection and self criticism, as I’m actually pretty sensitive to criticism from without and within. Arrogance was my shield.

2. That hubris prevented me analysing what I was doing right or wrong. It limited me, as I was succeeding on my raw ability rather than improving and maximising that ability.

3. After a lot of thinking, I realised points 1&2 were primarily due to my need to please people and ultimately feel needed, wanted and appreciated. Criticism was/is the manifestation of my failure to be needed, wanted and appreciated.

4. As sock has said, everything’s on a spectrum and so balance is delicate, most importantly, I saw that the team I was working in was unbalanced and was feeding my hubris. We were all cocky fucks, not going to guess at why the others were, but we all had similar strengths and weaknesses and it all led to a circle jerk of arrogance.

So I decided that when I got my own team, I would balance out my team by focussing on character, not knowledge.

It’s served me incredibly well, and I now run a really well balanced team, with an array of character traits

[Random1]

If that's supposed to be used as evidence of not being an introvert then you have a flawed understanding of what one is.

There is nothing stopping an introvert from being engaging in a social situation, downright garrulous even, what determines their introversion is whether such interactions de-energise them.

Introverts are energised by solitude and drained by people, but that doesn't mean they're inherently shy or awkward.

Not come across that definition before sock. Like globes, I’m much more used to Miles Briggs and things like insights.

Much prefer the definition you use - you got any decent reading/watching suggestions to understand it more?

By that definition I’m an extrovert (if I’ve understood correctly).

I love public speaking, and I get my energy from others seeing how fucking awesome I am.

I do like alone time, and like reading and thinking about things in isolation, and I find that also gives energy, but I think that’s only because it’s a way to improve what I do, and so generate more good feelings from my teams, family, friends, and anyone else!

For me, posting on a forum is a way of testing and debating ideas in a pretty safe arena amongst people from a wide range of back grounds. It’s hard to come by that, in person.

Interesting topic.

My college psychology teacher pointed me towards the Psychology Today site. I'm sure there's more academic reading out there, but, certainly as a teen/young adult trying to figure myself out, the various postings there were a lot more digestible. As an adult I've not really felt the need to delve too much deeper past the basic definitions there and I mostly dive into articles that look like they might help in day to day life.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/introversion
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/extroversion

Regarding the underlined, as with many things, it's a spectrum. Of course some will be further towards the ends than others, but many, if not most, will land somewhere in between. It sounds like you are primarily an extrovert, but that doesn't mean you can't generate energy from solitude and won't need to from time to time. I'm definitely strongly an introvert, interactions drain me however much I might enjoy them. It's reading articles on PT that helped me with little things like booking a monday off work following an all weekend wedding so that I can actually be useful and not feel dreadful from the tuesday.


As for posting on forums, for me it's primarily about finding people with similar interests who want to go beyond the surface of them. I spend a fair bit of time on Reddit in the metalcore and post-hardcore subs because those two genres are my main listening, but I don't really know anyone irl who likes that stuff. Ditto rugby, it's a minority sport and those I know who do like it aren't necessarily interested in the minutiae or even what I'd consider a significant story (Steve Diamond leaving his role 3 weeks into the season for example).

Thanks for this

[Niegs]

Hate mingling. More because I start an interesting conversation with another person, and then someone else comes along and acts like a peeping Tom to the conversation. It's all fake interest on the base level.

Yeah, that's one of the biggest bugbears of human interaction - superficial people & conversations.

There's a time for chit chat and talking about the weather but there are very few things as annoying as being engrossed in a really fruitful, interesting conversation and having it interrupted by someone whose conversational skills are limited to small talk, cliches and whatever is in the news cycle.

That's SO interesting... oh, don't mind me. You two go on.