If you are anything like me, you have had several encounters with people thinking you're spacey. Not paying attention, not being aware, or appearing to be uninterested or unfocused. So, if you are anything like me, you know how irritating it can get when you are called out on it. No, I'm not depressed. I'm not sad, I'm not out of it. I'm simply thinking.
Introverts are often misconstrued as shy, socially paranoid/awkward or uninterested. People who talk freely, (extroverts) love to point things like this out, or call it how they perceive it. If you're an extrovert, you get more pleasure out of external encounters rather than your internal thoughts.There is nothing wrong with either personality, because everyone thinks differently. Introverts just happen to think more on their own. It causes introverts to seem "out of it," when they're not at all. They are actually often much more aware and empathetic of their surroundings than others. They get energy out of solitary or creative pursuits, and feel drained from social situations. Introverts are extremely powerful thinkers, and feel more interpersonally connected with themselves than extroverts. You might say they feel energy from others at a different depth. Even though introverts have incredible abilities and minds (just like an extrovert can also have), they often get misinterpreted as something completely different.
Another misconception on introverts is that they don't care for others or for any type of social situation. This is not entirely true, based on that introverts are harder to get to know, so they can feel uncomfortable around people who do not know them. However, even though they would not be the first people you meet at a social event, they would prove to be the most interesting. Introverts can open you up to new ideas and thoughts that you may have never had before. They are an extremely important part of our society, the ones that listen rather than speak. But based on how society views important people, quiet thinkers are not particularly at the top of the list.
Culture has turned the illusion of an introvert into a misconstrued image of an angsty teenager locking themselves in their room, avoiding all social encounters, or being a "loner" as you might call it. It has changed the image of successful people into assertive, fast thinking, mind speaking men and women. Nothing for the quieter, more meticulous, slow thinking worker. We don't think of a boss as a creative solitary thinker, but as a quick, decisive team leader. Because of media influences on our culture, we have a society dominated mostly by extroverts. Again, there is nothing wrong with extroverts. Many powerful people today are indeed extroverted. This being said, the image of success as exposing your innermost thoughts and feelings, has caused a major culture shift towards assertiveness. Which leaves the more contemplative people to fade into the background.
Even though the spotlight stays on extroverts, I believe its important for us to recognize and celebrate different personality traits and ways of thinking. From understanding how others think differently, we can empower and inspire all minds to be successful, in their own way. So the next time you pinpoint someone as being rather withdrawn, know that they could potentially be building something very big in that head of theirs.
