Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=71249

by rokhayakebe • 19 years ago

9 25 19 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

IMO the majority of people who will read News.YC are a Introverts to their friends and family. But when we are here at News.YC, we all become extroverts. I think we are the most bipolar people ever to live. We maitain two lives. One where people think we are reserved, not polite, not social, not interactive, arrongant, and another life here where we are open, we socialize with each otheer, heck some of us even created places online for extroverts to fully enjoy their nature. So who are we?

rms5• 19 years ago

In real life and on a Myers-Brigg type test I usually fall dead center on the introvert/extrovert line, though usually one or two questions to the extrovert side. It's usually a willful distinction between whether I am behaving as an introvert or extrovert -- if an introvert, it's because I find that social interaction completely uninteresting.

Xichekolas• 19 years ago

Social interaction can be interesting if it's actually interaction with interesting people.

Unfortunately, what has come to be known as "social interaction" is the custom of getting a bunch of people in a room, stuffing them full of bad food and alcohol, and letting them talk about themselves for several hours.

On the other hand, if it really is completely uninteresting to you, just get drunk, and suddenly that worthless slob ranting about his new lawnmower will be divulging the secrets of the universe. I suspect this is the real reason why people drink... it takes actual effort to have fun if you are sober.

rms5• 19 years ago

If I'm going to be doing chemically enhanced social interaction, my substance of choice is kratom. It's well suited to truly enhanced discussion, not just the louder discussion that alcohol helps with or the disjointed, randomly connected conversations you have on weed. Unfortunately, the only drugs I can buy in public places intended for shared social experiences are alcohol and caffeine. I'd love to start a legal drug cafe but that will have to wait.

Yes, I am shilling my own business, no that doesn't mean you need to mod me down (I seem to always get modded down when I talk about the benefits of kratom. But it is a medicinal herb with enormously untapped potential as a legal pharmaceutical. Another thing to work for, eventually.)

Jaggu• 19 years ago

Yep. It depends on what people are discussing. If it is not interesting or something which i couldn't understand then in that situation I am giving impression that I am introvert. But I am extrovert in other cases because i have common interest or things to discuss...

davidw2• 19 years ago

I've become much more outgoing as I've aged, actually, and I like social occasions, as long as the people aren't boring or annoying.

rokhayakebe• 19 years ago

"as long as they are not...fun" Man you are the definition of introvert. Selective. Extrovert will kick it with anyone and make them "not boring'. I am not getting at you though. I am a introvert.

davidw2• 19 years ago

I can tolerate people who are boring or annoying, just don't enjoy it. I think even really extroverted people have people they don't care for. In any case, it's not like I'm one of those people who consider everyone beneath them - my "boring/annoying" people filter doesn't catch that many people.

randallsquared• 19 years ago

Some of us are introverts both here and in "real life".

vlad• 19 years ago

I'm an introvert when I'm alone and an extrovert when I'm around other people. This post reads stupid, but it's true.

as• 19 years ago

Obviously an abundance of NTs here, but Myers-Briggs ENTP seems the archetypal entrepreneur.

rms5• 19 years ago

Yeah... I'm an ENTP on the Myers-Briggs but just barely am an E/P whereas I am solidly an NT.

brianmckenzie• 19 years ago

I'm pretty extroverted in real life, it helps if the people I'm with are interesting, but not a requirement. I'm probably more introverted online, oddly enough.

DanielBMarkham2• 19 years ago

I'm basically a loner who likes being in a crowd when I have to do it. I find that I'm at my most productive on narrowly focused technical projects when people leave me alone, but I'm happiest and the most balanced and effective on a broad spectrum of issues when I'm "plugged in" to a larger group. Having said that, I find the transition between the two to be tough.

jeffrese• 19 years ago

We are all naturally introverts. The question isn't are you and introvert or extrovert, the question is do you have the balls to overcome your fear and get out there and make cold intros.

gnaritas• 19 years ago

That's not true at all. Introverts are generally drained by social interaction and need serious alone time to recharge. Extroverts are the opposite and need the social interaction to recharge, being alone tends to bother them.

ardit33• 19 years ago

intro-extra vert. somewhere in the midle.

majimojo2• 19 years ago

I used to think introvert was a bad thing. But I think most people understand the word wrongly.

Introvert = you get your motivation and energy from your own creativity and thoughts.

Extrovert = you get your motivation and energy from the people around you.

They're both good things.

Introvert != Troll.

majimojo2• 19 years ago

Introvert != Shy

ambiversive• 19 years ago

I'm ambiversive.

brl• 19 years ago

I'm extremely introverted and solidly INTP.

iamwil• 19 years ago

INTJ/INTP

I help run summer conferences, where I lead small group discussions and moderate. People that I meet there often are surprised when I tell them afterwards that I'm an introvert.

A lot of being able to moderate discussion and engage people was learned, after some practice, rather than anything particularly innate. So things like selling your idea to people, making presentations, being charming, those are all things that a startup founder needs can be learned with a bit of practice.

Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?

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