“Introvert” a Term Exaggerated
What it’s like to experience a life without these identity labels…
“Introverts are shy” “oh he can’t talk because he is introverted” or “why don’t you socialize” “Look I have a lot of friends how many do you have only 2”
I always get these comments and think to myself, “Is there anything wrong with me?” I then go to social media and see quotes floating “I am a social vegan I avoid meet”, “Quiet people have the loudest minds”.
Every popular personality starting from J.K Rowlings, Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, Nichole Tesla tends to spend time in desolate and they are considered introverts by society.
It makes me wonder do introverts need time alone? are introverts happy lonely?
“I think Putting labels on people is just an easy way of marketing something you don’t understand”
— Adam Jones
I have never felt like I am less social or don’t talk much. It just felt natural to me and yet people give me comments.
All my friends, classmates, family members told me that I am an introvert but it doesn’t come to me the slightest that I am being socially awkward.
I think people use these terms “introverts” to label those who are sad, not talking, or don’t seem connected and if you say it has nothing to do with Introvertedness, they always explain that there are researches being conducted that proves different personalities are present.
“Silence isn’t always agreement. Sometimes people no longer argue because they no longer care.”
— Rachel Joyce
But for the sake of argument what if we don’t label people with terms like introverts or extroverts do we see a different reaction for those same people.
I bet we will because what if I want to socialize and do socialize but my friends told me “ Oh you don’t talk to people, why are you speaking now, you're supposed to be an introvert” it feels a little insulting.
These labels can make you disconnected. Once you are labeled “introverted” people don’t bother socializing with you, they think you like being lonely or don’t want them to be around.
What if I don’t like some people or some social gatherings. Does that count me as introverted in those scenarios? Sometimes extroverts don't want to be bothered or want time alone does that make them introverts?
All these terms are exaggerated that’s my opinion what a psychologist says I don’t care. Society labels people and then Researchers give these labels credibility.
I mean society always labels something and doesn’t consider anything a norm, it makes an identity of a person and he or she will live their whole life under that identity. If we remove these introverts, extrovert or ambiverts labels are we normal human begins living lives the way we should.
I know most introverts don’t like gatherings but it’s not true all the time. Sometimes we do feel like being social and sometimes we don’t it’s just human nature. Instead of labeling people should try to understand each other better.
That’s my point is we have very little understanding of our surroundings. Instead of understanding the other person or any issue he or she might be facing we just diagnose them with labels and move on.
“Don’t think of introversion as something that needs to be cured…Spend your free time the way you like, not the way you think you’re supposed to.”
By Susan Cain (Author of Book “Quiet” )
This is bringing differences among people. If you label one thing you are labeling against the other which causes competition.
Like if we label one person as an introvert then the next question will be “Are introverts better or extroverts?” then we say “no introverts are geniuses while extroverts are dumb” and believe me no one wants to be called dumb so these things can lead to hatred and separations.
Each personality will form a separate social group which will call them better than the other.
“Extroversion is an enormously appealing personality style, but we’ve turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us feel we must conform.”
By Susan Cain (Author of Book “Quiet” )
I would say understanding and connection among people can become better when we stop using these types of terminologies. Then there is a debate that if we label people as introverts or extroverts we can understand them better but I think it’s far from the truth.
All my friends and people who know me know that I am an introvert and they think being lonely is a norm for an introvert, so no socializing for me or bother inviting its something not to be considered as understanding rather isolation.
Most introverts including myself do feel isolated in some way and I can think extroverts can feel isolated from introverted worlds.
These labels are causing isolation among people rather than understanding and connection.
Forget about labeling and see the world without it. This world is really simple but we made it complicated by giving labels to each and everything we encounter.
By labeling one with “introvert” the other person who thinks of him or herself as an extrovert will avoid being around them and the same goes with introverts not being around extroverted.
What if we stop using these introvert-extrovert or any personality identity game and understand what the person likes or dislikes. If that person doesn’t want to go to the concert that will not make him bad or so-called socially awkward and if he or she wants to spend time alone with only one or 2 friends then that’s not bad either.
If a person who doesn’t socialize much suddenly one day decided to go to a family gathering or friends gathering and started to socialize themselves then nothing wrong there.
Letting go of labels is the start of understanding and connections instead of isolation.
The whole point of the post is Society should not overplay introverts, extroverts, or any other label that are causing separation instead of connection and understandings.
“Labels are for filing. Labels are for clothing. Labels are not for people.”
— Martina Navratilova
