Are you an introvert or extrovert?

Do you think, all other things being equal, that introverts tend to be more conservative and extroverts more liberal? I'm thinking about smaller differences here such as slightly right of center vs slightly left of center.

Extroverts tend to be more group oriented and that seems to apply to liberals as well.
 
I don't think there's really any connection. I'm introverted and identify as an Independent. I have friends who are extroverts who vote Republican and consider themselves to be conservative, and liberals who vote the opposite. There may be subtle differences here and there, as you mention, though.
 
I am highly introverted but my politics seems to hover around liberal centrist. Maybe me being gay has something to do with that. I strongly identify with discriminated against minorities.
 
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I kind of don’t like these flat, political labels because many people tend to fall into a range of values and ideas, not extremes. Some of my Republican friends for example, are deeply passionate about the environment but disagree on other key issues. And same with my liberal friends.

It is what it is though, but it’s unfortunate that we are relegated to this rigid two party system. I’m an Independent, but will one ever become POTUS? :rolleye:
 
I don't like labels either and I generally speak in terms of liberal and conservative rather than Democrat vs Republican. Even then, as you say, we are all a mixture of both and it's not even clear what liberal and conservative means in all cases.

Among the educated population when people are talking about conservative issues it's usually related to economics and not social values. On Fox or where MAGA is concerned, all bets are off of course.
 
Here's an insightful article, offering a more accurate portrayal of what it means to be an introvert. From observation, most people can have varying degrees of introversion or extroversion, and most of us fall somewhere in between on the ''spectrum'', displaying traits of both introversion and extroversion depending on the circumstances.

www.everydayhealth.com

Understanding Introversion: Definition, Science, and Self-Care Tips

Explore the science behind introversion, its impact on health and well-being, and how introverts can support their emotional health needs.
www.everydayhealth.com www.everydayhealth.com
 
wegs said:
Here's an insightful article, offering a more accurate portrayal of what it means to be an introvert. From observation, most people can have varying degrees of introversion or extroversion, and most of us fall somewhere in between on the ''spectrum'', displaying traits of both introversion and extroversion depending on the circumstances.

www.everydayhealth.com

Understanding Introversion: Definition, Science, and Self-Care Tips

Explore the science behind introversion, its impact on health and well-being, and how introverts can support their emotional health needs.
www.everydayhealth.com www.everydayhealth.com
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Yes this all seems sensible, if perhaps a bit obvious. As you and others have said on this thread already, classifying people on the basis of binary labels is pretty shallow and detrimental to understanding them.

I'm a person who has always found parties exhausting and usually rather tedious, but I am also pretty sociable and very much enjoy smaller gatherings where one can really converse with people in some depth. I also enjoyed and still enjoy teamwork, whether in the office, in the choir or in rowing. So I don't think I fit either label. What is sort of interesting, now I come to think of it, is that almost all my past girlfriends, including the one whom I married, have been fairly retiring, quietish girls, but with more to them than met the eye. (My wife once went on a business course, in Australia, in which she was nicknamed "the alligator", due her being quiet and then suddenly, from nowhere, taking a huge lump out of someone.) I've never been much attracted to energetic party girls. Probably because they were too tiring and seemed to me a bit superficial - which of course turned them off me right away, so the result was self-fulfilling.

The label "introvert" is often considered mildly pejorative, which in my experience is silly and unfair. It puts me in mind of that aphorism about empty vessels.
 
I am not very sociable, probably more on here, physics forums and YouTube than real life.
I like the people I work with but do not like small talk, I am no good at it.
I am an extrovert with the people I know well and who have the same interests so I am more animated and enthusiastic.

If I went to a party now I would probably just my time looking for the best drink!
 
The best short description I've found to determine which label most describes you is do you tend to "recharge" with a little quiet time or do you need a group of people to recharge.

By that definition I'm an introvert. I was shy as a kid but not as an adult. I grew up and matured as do most introverts. I'm confident and have no problem talking to others at a party or elsewhere. Once I've met and chatted with whomever I found interesting then I'm ready to go, otherwise it just feels tedious.

If I was feeling "burned out" my first thought wouldn't be "hey, let's get a group of people together, that would be relaxing" :)

I know a female who is very extroverted. She likes nothing more than to get a large group of people together but then once everyone is there (if it's an outdoor cookout, for example) then she will hangout with a small group of close friends but enjoy having the larger group all around her to look at. It makes her feel relaxed.

I'm definitely not the type that would go on vacation with a large group. Even with that female, when we hang out it's usually one on one although I've been to a few of her parties.

I'm not the socially awkward type of introvert but the rechanging thing does apply to me.

For the older US crowd, there was a famous TV talk show host (Johnny Carson). He was very outgoing on his TV show but in person he was very much an introvert. Being an introvert doesn't necessarily mean that you are shy, socially awkward or lack confidence. You could have those traits but you could also have them and be an extrovert. They aren't really related.

I think it is pretty binary for most people. Do you need a little alone time (can include being with wife/girlfriend/close friend) to relax do you need a large group to relax?

I'll get together with some people to go out in the mountains to go rock climbing. Usually two people with get together to do that and sometimes you'll invite someone and they'll go out of the way to start planning "hey who else could we invite so that we can get a larger group together"...why?:)
 
Seattle said:
The best short description I've found to determine which label most describes you is do you tend to "recharge" with a little quiet time or do you need a group of people to recharge.

By that definition I'm an introvert. I was shy as a kid but not as an adult. I grew up and matured as do most introverts. I'm confident and have no problem talking to others at a party or elsewhere. Once I've met and chatted with whomever I found interesting then I'm ready to go, otherwise it just feels tedious.

If I was feeling "burned out" my first thought wouldn't be "hey, let's get a group of people together, that would be relaxing" :)
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This! It's entirely possible to be an introvert, who wants to recharge alone after a busy day at work, and also engage with the world in healthy, fun ways. Introversion is sometimes compared to social anxiety or agoraphobia (afraid to leave one's ''safe space''), and it's nothing like that. But, it is thought of negatively, especially in the workplace, where everyone feels this odd pressure to be extroverted.
 
Pinball1970 said:
I am not very sociable, probably more on here, physics forums and YouTube than real life.
I like the people I work with but do not like small talk, I am no good at it.
I am an extrovert with the people I know well and who have the same interests so I am more animated and enthusiastic.

If I went to a party now I would probably just my time looking for the best drink!
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After a busy day at work, do you tend to accept invitations to grab drinks with coworkers or do you prefer going home first, and unwinding before making plans to meet up later? That answer can also contribute to if you're more naturally an introvert over an extrovert.
 
wegs said:
After a busy day at work, do you tend to accept invitations to grab drinks with coworkers or do you prefer going home first, and unwinding before making plans to meet up later?
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I meet with a few people after work, I like to wind down. I used to play badminton every Saturday but got out of the habit when everything locked down.
I have music too luckily, I play in bands.
 
wegs said:
This! It's entirely possible to be an introvert, who wants to recharge alone after a busy day at work, and also engage with the world in healthy, fun ways. Introversion is sometimes compared to social anxiety or agoraphobia (afraid to leave one's ''safe space''), and it's nothing like that. But, it is thought of negatively, especially in the workplace, where everyone feels this odd pressure to be extroverted.
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This is especially pronounced in the US, where the pressure to be relentless gregarious and upbeat can feel stifling - and faked. Germany, on the other hand, seems to breed a quiet and reflective approach to work. But are they a nation of introverts? I don’t think so.
 
exchemist said:
This is especially pronounced in the US, where the pressure to be relentless gregarious and upbeat can feel stifling - and faked. Germany, on the other hand, seems to breed a quiet and reflective approach to work. But are they a nation of introverts? I don’t think
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There is a certain fakeness and competition, for lack of a better word, to being outgoing and outspoken, here in the US. But Covid changed a little of that, when more people started working from home. Although a lot of extroverts struggled emotionally and mentally from the isolation.
 
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DaveC426913 said:
What do you mean?
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I don't know what she means and I'm sure she will be along to answer but I think she may mean that some of the extravert behavior is forced and may reveal an introvert. At work, particularly in a sales environment, people have to act like cheerleaders when most probably don't actually feel that way.

Look at all the people standing behind Trump clapping as he comes into the room. Do they really want to clap or is it forced? :)
 
DaveC426913 said:
What do you mean?
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What Seattle posted.

I think there is an expectation of certain roles in work settings in the US, to demonstrate charisma, edginess, competitiveness, and sociability. These “styles” are chalked up to being extroverted. And extroversion is seen as positive in the work place and introversion, as negative. I think a lot of people see their chance at a promotion only coming to them if they’re outgoing, staying late to have drinks with coworkers, and so on. This tends to encourage introverts to force themselves to be extroverted, at least during work hours. I’ve seen peers burn out over this.

Moving away from this expectation that everyone should conform to extroversion allows people to flourish and be who they are. There seems to be a lot of misconceptions however over both of these labels and it’s unfortunate that introversion is seen as a negative in the workplace, which sometimes drives behaviors that are forced in the spirit of competition. Probably the greatest misconceptions are that introverted people are anti-social and come across aloof, and extroverts are the life of the party. Those descriptions are so superficial to me.
 
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wegs said:
What Seattle posted.

I think there is an expectation of certain roles in work settings in the US, to demonstrate charisma, edginess, competitiveness, and sociability. These “styles” are chalked up to being extroverted. And extroversion is seen as positive in the work place and introversion, as negative. I think a lot of people see their chance at a promotion only coming to them if they’re outgoing, staying late to have drinks with coworkers, and so on. This tends to encourage introverts to force themselves to be extroverted, at least during work hours. I’ve seen peers burn out over this.

Moving away from this expectation that everyone should conform to extroversion allows people to flourish and be who they are. There seems to be a lot of misconceptions however over both of these labels and it’s unfortunate that introversion is seen as a negative in the workplace, which sometimes drives behaviors that are forced in the spirit of competition. Probably the greatest misconceptions are that introverted people are anti-social and come across aloof, and extroverts are the life of the party. Those descriptions are so superficial to me.
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The worst, IMO, is the situation where you are at a social gathering (not forced). Maybe it's a friend's dinner party or something similar. All that is fine and then at some point, the more extroverted want to play a "party game" because "wouldn't that be FUN!" :)
 
Seattle said:
The worst, IMO, is the situation where you are at a social gathering (not forced). Maybe it's a friend's dinner party or something similar. All that is fine and then at some point, the more extroverted want to play a "party game" because "wouldn't that be FUN!" :)
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lol! Reminds me of a funny quote ''introverts don't get ready for a party; they gather strength for a party.''
 
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