I Am An Introvert

I have often the feeling we live in a society made for extroverts where we must exchange all the times the roles of entertainers and audience. People want to be entertained, things are either entertaining or not worthy at all, entertainment is king. Not my game. Not my circus, not my monkeys.

I don't want to entertain, or be entertained. I don't believe it should be the main point of conversations. Words may be used to give practical information, or to build bridges with others, not to feel alone, and to make others feel they are not alone either. Not simply to fill in voids, or to pass the time.

There is too much small talk. Small talk has nothing to do with the topic of the conversation, but with the purpose of it. And entertaining is a really small purpose.

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

Mamapolo2016 · F

I think ONLY talking for the purpose of entertaining is small. There are many people who enjoy witty, eloquent conversation, and that is every bit as legitimate as preferring to only speak when you have something important to convey.

You should not be pressured to be entertaining, but neither should someone else earn disdain for being entertaining. It does take all kinds to make a world.

This modern day concept that you are only worthwhile if you are like me is pressuring everyone to conform when variety is what makes the world interesting.

Cierzo · M

@Mamapolo2016 I wrote this story because I see now that entertainment has taken over everything. What is not entertaining is rejected. This is the opposite of variety.

Mamapolo2016 · F

@Cierzo What is not entertaining is rejected by some, perhaps even many. There are plenty of worthwhile people who can converse very intensely and seriously when the situation calls for it and can be entertaining and light when the situation calls for that.

Hasn’t it always been true that the masses seek entertainment? The Coliseum and public, brutal executions come to mind. There are more of us and there are many more entertainment outlets as well. I sometimes bemoan that myself. It can get very noisy.

Some of the smartest and most knowledgeable people in history were also entertaining. Entertaining is not synonymous with stupid. Stupid is synonymous with stupid.

Cierzo · M

@Mamapolo2016 Masses have always looked for entertainment, true, and it is necessary, but it should not be the ultimate goal in everything we do. And this is the mentality I see today. I have nothing against entertainment. Entertainment is like a pet you have at home. It is nice to have a pet, but you should not let your children starve, or starve yourself, to feed the pet.

Mamapolo2016 · F

@Cierzo I agree. Maybe a small reminder that you are an introvert due to whatever shaped you. Many comedians as well as other entertainers are as they are because of what shaped them. The best entertainers (Shakespeare comes to mind) use their wit and eloquence to make important statements while their audiences are unaware they are being educated.

Neither your way nor my way is the wrong way or the right way (I have loved all my pets but never starved anybody to feed them).

If you are surrounded by people who are never serious the world will surely look like a shallow place. And it has changed drastically from the days when the only entertainment available was family and close friends.

Maybe I have a different feeling about this because I turned off my television about a year ago and have not switched it on again, except for a couple of Olympic events. It was just too much constant racket,

I too spend most of my time alone, reading and writing. I have been considering withdrawing from SW because of the ‘noise’ and constant negative influences, to which I am very susceptible.

We each do what we must to coexist with our own mind and spirit. Anyone who is perceived as ‘different’ makes others uncomfortable.
As with any other form of behavior that deviates from the norm, it is to be expected that others won’t ‘get you.’

Cierzo · M

@Mamapolo2016 I have considered leaving here too, and if I have not done it yet is for a very dear person who is here too. You are very right when you talk about noise. There is too much noise in the world, too much information, too many concepts, too many theories about how to live a healthy life, be happy...

Mamapolo2016 · F

When the best way to be happy is to be useful and productive and stop worrying about how you can get happy, @Cierzo