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On What It Means To Be Introverted
Clearing up some misconceptions around this aspect of personality
I have a distinct tendency towards introversion. I am introspective, content in solitude, comfortable in my own skin, standing quietly on the periphery of the madness (occasionally taking part). Maybe it’s a protection mechanism, but then if it is, it is as much a protection mechanism as an extrovert’s need to be in the spotlight.
Introverted people perhaps show a deeper level of personal security and solidity than extroverted people. In what I see as a fickle world full of people with short-term relationship goals, introverts can perhaps find peace alone. Extroverts seek fulfilment and purpose in the exterior world; introverts look inward.
Now, not every inward-looking person fits this stereotype, of course not. We differ to varying degrees of the multitude of aspects of personality that we can say exists. We are multifaceted, complex and comprise a blend of so many things. Each of us is unique, valid and necessary for the bringing about of this diverse world.
“I’ll read my books and I’ll drink coffee and I’ll listen to music, and I’ll bolt the door.” — J.D. Salinger
