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Introvert Social Theory

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Introvert Social Theory

Lord Dimwit Flathead
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Posted 05/26/09 - 05:31 PM: Subject: Introvert Social Theory	#1
Any given society has certain traits and values that it promotes as the ideal template. From what society selects for there is an obvious opposite set of traits that are selected against. Those who have come to be called introverts are are among the individuals who are selected against in Western societies. There are no social police. There is no need. Society polices itself in a sense; existing within it is naturally stressful and difficult for undesirables. They are naturally are forced to and eventually prefer to live a separate existence underneath the surface. Perhaps in youth they are unwilling exiles, but as adults they often consciously secede. Every school or organization seems to have one or a few people who follow their own direction and just can't seem to bond with the group entity. They are forced to live as social vagabonds, as homeless people who live in houses. Indeed, as a given society grows into the millions of people. Almost all people are strangers to one another. Only through massively held conventions can human interaction on a wide scale occur smoothly. Under such circumstances, little deviation from the standard can be tolerated. By lack of tolerance, I mean not that you'll be lynched if you forget which fork is your salad fork. Rather, much like re-entering the atmosphere, only a very small margin of error is permissible in attempting to enter the sphere of social belonging. Thus, introverts who are selected against to begin with often deviate too much and find themselves seemingly alone among millions. Fortunately, in a mass society any group has the potential to reach critical mass. For one who is an introvert, one has not done something the mass society selects against. Rather one is what it selects against. In other words it is, in a sense, to be a sin. To form a new society in which one's defects are virtues is absolution from being a sin. This is the basic premise of my blog which develops this line of inquiry and deals with general introvert issues. Existing popularly known terms do not always afford easy descriptions of relevant phenomena. From this lack arises new terms such as 'Social choreography' and 'collective checkmate.'' I understand that 'introvert' and 'extrovert' are words that get thrown around a lot. Let me be clear concerning my meaning. Differentiated on a fundamental level: An introvert tends to be defined by the self and self reflection. An extrovert tends to be defined by the surrounding society and its expectations.

Cadrache
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Posted 05/29/09 - 09:58 AM:	#2
Why is it then that introverts are shunned merely because they are adept at being the key enlightenment of society itself? Instead of going out and having physical contact I mean.
"...There was a writer who asked why it was that when we find positive experiences we say that only the physical facts are real, but in negative experiences we believe that reality is subjective. He made an example of those who say that in birth only the pain is real, the joy a subjective point of view, but that in death it is the emotional loss that is the reality." - Tony Ballantyne, Recursion. _____________________________________________ Truth is want. - The internal state of matters. Truth is Need. - The external state of affairs.

Lord Dimwit Flathead
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Posted 05/31/09 - 11:44 AM:	#3
Introverts are the enlightenment of society? Not sure what you mean by this. Introverts tend to be people who by virtue of their nature don't fit well with the ideal template promoted by Western society. When one has difficulty making the cut socially, one is not nearly as prone to go out and seek physical contact. Social contact with other human beings is a haven and a source of life for those who belong. For those who have difficulty belonging or cannot belong, social environments are stressful and draining. While one who belongs may be at ease in social situations, an outsider must second guess their every word and carefully hide their true, unacceptable selves. Every minute in company is a stinging reminder of one's status as an outsider.

ms anthropist
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Posted 06/10/09 - 12:53 PM:	#4
Are you talking about conformity, or the ability to relate to others? Is it the thwarted desire to belong or the necessity to scape that defines an introvert? I don't quite understand what you are asking. Is it whether there is strengh in unity? But surely how can a group of introverts relate to each other?, would they? Or a you talking about a utopian place where nobody relates and nobody cares about not relating and they all live with their mothers?

Crackers
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Posted 06/10/09 - 03:53 PM:	#5
Not all introverts are social outcasts. They can conform to social norms atleast enough and get along suitably well. I am reserved, private, withdrawn and can often be found with my "head-in-the-clouds." However, I can laugh, joke, socialise and even entertain, though I tend to do these things both for my own amusement and out of neccessity to seem "normal" or atleast "normal enough" to not be an outcast. I enjoy solitude and while in groups of people I tend to be more observent than engaged, I enjoy provoking certain reactions out of people (mostly, I like to make people laugh. Although sometimes I wish I were surrounded by more intelligent people who could understand the finer points of humour, such as satire, irony and subtle wordplay. Things that aren't always funny themselves, but hilarious in their context). Anyways, my point being: introverts can "fit in"; it's just that introverts are forced to act as extraverts sometimes to make appearances. Generally, the introvert finds socialising difficult or unpleasant and tends to remain in a set group of friends. Anyway, I want to point out two types of outcasts: Unwilling outcasts: these are the people that cannot conform to social norms as they lack the knowledge and instinct on how to do so. They are forced to be social outcasts. Sociopathy, psychopathy and things such as autism can stunt people's social growth and force them into a introversion and social abondenment. Not all of these people are introverts, they are simply pushed away from the crowd for the general social ineptitude. Willing outcasts: these people will always be introverts, as who else would willingly become outcasts? They can fit in, but choose not to. They either do so out of love for loneliness, hate of accompaniment, or a happy combination of both. Or perhaps they feel they need to be alone out of neccessity; such as the hermit who lives separate from society in search for a life closer to nature or a solitude as a means to reflect and gain more knowledge of themselves and the world. My greatest criticism of extraversion is their apparent obliviousness of the self. Almost to the point of being uncomfortable being themselves. Self-reflection is important for many things. such as self-improvement, rational thought and creative acts (Art). Intellectuals, artists and leaders are introverts. I find extraversion to be integral to herd-mentality, to belonging to the crowd, and introversion to be integral to forming individuality, separation from the crowd. I find that extraverts are more hedonistic while introverts eudaimonic; that is, extroverts seek pleasure whilst introverts seek improvement, betterment, flourishment. I believe that the collective consience, the set of shared beliefs and moral attitudes held by the crowd, has a will of it's own. And that will is survival. The herd seeks nothing beyond survival and so the herd rejects people who threaten it; the introverts. The extraverts can be seen as being "plugged into The Matrix", living in a world governed by the "collective consience", while the introverts have "unplugged" themselves and become self-aware, awaking from "The Matrix." I encourage criticism and comment on this paragraph; I want to know if these views are reasonable or based on my bias as an introvert. I believe that introversion comes from love-of-the-self and that when extraverts see somebody who reveres himself they feel threatened, perhaps even inadequate and ashamed. This feeling of self-inadequancy perhaps causes them to exert themselves on people as to give the impression that they do have high self-esteem when perhaps they don't (like how the repressed homosexual will go out of his way to point out that he clearly isn't homosexual). I think, and I think psychologists would agree, that introversion/extraversion is determined in childhood. I believe that at a young age introverts aquire the sense of self-reverence. Perhaps their parents do a good job in making them feel good about themselves. I have a very clear memory about this: I was young (3,4) and was being transported via a pushchair that was driven by my mother. I asked my mum to put the rain-shield down over the push-chair which completely encapsulated me inside my own little bubble. I remember thinking to my self how much I loved to be alone like this as it made me feel both safe and liberated; when in that small world of mine I felt like my thoughts could reach anywhere and everywhere, very freeing and empowering. I felt like the God of this own little world. Ha, I can remember having the rain-shield down whenever possible, that is, even when it wasn't raining. I enjoyed thinking. The more alone I was the clearer and more real my thoughts appeared. Even now that is true, in a room of people it as though other's thoughts are interfering with mine; a constant buzz in the room that won't go away until they do. So I am an independant worker, as I suppose most introverts are. Enjoyment in wallowing in the swamps of one's self leads to many great things including self-reverance (with obvious dangers of narcissism and a low sense of worth for other people). I believe extraverts perhaps missed something during childhood development which lead them to feel uncomfortable reflecting on themselves. However, at the other end of the spectrum is the truly damaged people; the trauma victims, subject to such horrors as child abuse. This can lead to a hatred of oneself and introversion, but these are special cases. I believe that many introverts are intimidated by overwhelming extraversion, and that this leads to the view that introverts are weak and timid. In reality, I believe that the intimidation comes purely from the fact that introverts are the minority and are caught off-guard by the sheer volume of extraversion they experience. This is one of the introverts greatest challenges: overcoming this intimidation and to continue to reinforce self-affirmation. This self-affirmation leads to massive strength of character. The ability to assert one's position comes from full affirmation of one's self and one's belief, and this manifests as strength. Nietzsche wrote: How does one become stronger?— By coming to decisions slowly; and by clinging tenaciously to what one has decided. Everything else follows. [2] http://dailynietzsche.blogspot.com/2007/11/becoming-stronger.html wrote: [2]: In the very next section, 919, Nietzsche begins; "I wish men would begin by respecting themselves: everything else follows from that." In retrospect, to become stronger, one must stand by their decisions, but to begin treading the path to becoming stronger, one must first respect their self. Only from this understanding would it make sense that both statements would lead towards "everything else" that "follows. The sudden and the changeable: the two species of weakness. Not to mistake oneself for one of them; to feel the distance—before it is too late! [3] http://dailynietzsche.blogspot.com/2007/11/becoming-stronger.html wrote: [3]: To realize you are different and unique from everyone else; to "feel the distance"—by that very act one affirms their strength; their will.

Ico
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Posted 06/28/09 - 04:52 PM:	#6
Lord Dimwit Flathead wrote: Fortunately, in a mass society any group has the potential to reach critical mass. For one who is an introvert, one has not done something the mass society selects against. Rather one is what it selects against. In other words it is, in a sense, to be a sin. To form a new society in which one's defects are virtues is absolution from being a sin. As someone who would call himself an introvert, I'm confused by your definition of sin and absolution from it.
...the Bible (nor any 'holy' book) should not have a favored place in our human exploration of what is true about our world ~Ellory Schempp (Abington vs. Schempp)

kkiiji
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Posted 06/28/09 - 07:48 PM:	#7
I gotta say I love being a homeless person who lives in a house, it's so damn fun! Draining? Stressful? Only if you can't handle it I suppose. The key to being a homeless guy who lives in a house is you need to be able to communicate, while having no need to constantly communicate, to be able to get along, without the constant need of getting along. Otherwise you'd just be a hermit hiding in his shell, that's no fun.
Heard joke once: Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says "Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up." Man bursts into tears. Says "But Doctor... I am Pagliacci." Good joke, everybody laugh. Roll on snare drum... Curtains.

ViperThunder
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Posted 07/02/09 - 09:33 PM:	#8
I, like the poster Crackers, am introverted but do not feel like I am "sinful" in any way. And I also agree with Crackers that introversion/extroversion are traits adapted (or maybe adopted) in youth. Introverts are less numerous in society than extroverts because, I believe, introverts only spawn from non-ordinary social upbringings. For a society as complex as ours to flourish, I think it is necessary that we introverts are outnumbered.

swstephe
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Posted 07/02/09 - 11:19 PM:	#9
I saw an article on the "medicalization of society". The premise was that society/the market/capitalism would choose an attribute, identify it as a "sickness" and then market a cure for it. The first example they gave was "shyness". They quoted a few writers from 100 years ago who mentioned that shyness seemed to be the predominant trait of the majority, while boldness was part of an oppressive character, (in Western culture, most people felt comforted by the words "blessed are the meek"). Somewhere along the way, boldness was identified as a healthy, successful attribute, then drugs, books and treatments were designed to "cure" shyness. There were also examples of how "impotence" used to be considered a natural part of aging -- is now considered a medical problem to be ridiculed until solved. I've observed that introversion and extroversion are simply different responses to the same emotional reluctance to connect, emotionally, with others. In some classes I was forced to go in my work, we divided up personalities into several more groups. I noticed that the extrovert got most of the praise, (a possible throwback to the "alpha male"), but people I considered "successful", at a personal level, were the ones identified as "social" -- those who built strong networks of friends and acquaintences, not the "A type personalities" who push their way to the top of the heap.
Ethics is the measuring of morality. Morality is the measuring of good. Good is the measuring of benefit. Benefit is the measure of values.

Ico
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Posted 07/02/09 - 11:25 PM:

#10

ViperThunder wrote:
I, like the poster Crackers, am introverted but do not feel like I am "sinful" in any way. And I also agree with Crackers that introversion/extroversion are traits adapted (or maybe adopted) in youth. Introverts are less numerous in society than extroverts because, I believe, introverts only spawn from non-ordinary social upbringings.

For a society as complex as ours to flourish, I think it is necessary that we introverts are outnumbered.

Not quite. Introvert here, raised by a mother and father in a suburban home near my school for eight years, with the same location and same friends all that time. We moved once, less than twenty minutes away, and I was able to keep going to the same school with the same friends. Neither of my parents drank, were abusive towards me or each other, or did anything I think any of us would call "unusual". I guess stable would be the word to describe my early years. And here I am, silly introverted me.

...the Bible (nor any 'holy' book) should not have a favored place in our human exploration of what is true about our world
~Ellory Schempp (Abington vs. Schempp)

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