Introverts tend to enjoy more time to themselves, are very aware of their internal thoughts and recharge more in solitude. Extroverts are just the opposite. Extroverts are more outspoken, outgoing and absolutely love being around other people. They’re talkative and like being the center of attention.” — Chelsea Connors, therapist
Extroverts chafe me. This certified introvert has spent most of his life avoiding them: the whooping jocks, chest-thumping frat boys, screechy sorority girls, cocky corporate management types, knee-slapping laughers, actors, garrulous social hambones who have to keep everyone rapt with hypnotic anecdotes and stories, the very loud and touchy.
These are the people who are having a hard time with “social distancing” during COVID-19. They’re on FaceTime and Zoom, keeping the party going electronically, lest life in self-quarantine shrivels them up into lonely nobodies. The outgoing who live to go out, hug and high-five and fist pump and kissy-kissy on both cheeks. And strangely cracking up, constantly.
Introverts, on the other hand, are naturally adapting to the situation, even relishing it. This, pundits declare, is the year of the introvert, what with mandated social distancing during the pandemic, which demands people stay apart, social scenes closed or restricted, and families huddled in their homes. No sports events? Oh, darn it.
“Finally,” a tweeter rejoices, “something I’m good at: staying at home and avoiding people!”
Isn’t it great?
In case I’m branded some sort of antisocial Hamlet or “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble,” I emphatically aver that I do (did) like to get out for a great dinner, good movie or a play, and some drinks. And my inveterate world travel is taking a heartrending hit.
But it’s worth noting this shift in the social landscape: the meek shall inherit the earth, for a while. From the Twitter-sphere come these words of comfort for the eternally uncomfortable:
— “Any other socially awkward introverts out there feel oddly aroused anytime anyone mutters the phrase ‘social distancing?’ Asking for myself. Obviously.”
— “As single and an introvert, we’ve been social distancing since before it was popular.”
— “Introverts have been doing this for years! Look who’s suddenly the cool kids at the party now!”
— “Finally introverts experience a world that is suited to us. All events cancelled, we don’t even have to go thru the trouble of flaking. No one is making random small talk or physical contact. Everybody minding their own business.”
— “So ‘social distancing’ is gonna save us all from #CoronaVirusSeattle.YAY. INTROVERTS WILL SURVIVE AND RULE THE WORLD. Quietly, of course. But still.”
GNASHING. 
Yeah, I really don’t understand the people who are already complaining about being bored. I basically only left the house when I had to anyway, to go to work and to a museum once a week so I could keep blogging, so I am absolutely fine with working from home and not having to go anywhere for a while. To be honest, I’ve barely even been reading (I’m trying to work my way through quite a boring book at the moment, which doesn’t help) or doing much of anything constructive – I’m kind of like the neighbours’ cats that sleep in the sunny patch on the top of our shed, and am perfectly happy to spend most of the day drowsing on the sofa doing nothing at all. These are fine times for the anti-social.
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But but butt, Jessica, being an introvert isn’t the same as being anti-social. Neither does it equal hanging out at home. I love to travel, camp out in my old van, do stuff in nature.
Unfortunateley I’m happily married … to another introvert, hehe. 😉
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I will concede that the two don’t have to go together, but for me they definitely do! I’d say I’m probably almost in hermit territory, but I do live with my partner, who is really the only person whose company I find tolerable for more than a couple of hours at a time. I do like to travel, but I spend most of the time I’m gone wishing I was home, especially at night. Strange beds give me the creeps.
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In couldn’t care less about whta bed I sleep in. But becoz I’m too lazy to look for a new hostel each and every night I’m building a camper van out of Oubaas. So we can sleep where nobody else else is around, the middle of the desert, on lonely beaches, in city centers.
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Hear, hear. And I love the bit of you being like the neighbors’ cats!
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An interesting take on lockdown Chris.
My reaction to being locked down is strange, even to me. I am usually home anyway. My wife works part time to bring in a little money to pay the bills while i stay home and keep the house running and tend our veg and fruit gardens that provide much of our food and keep our costs down. But staying home of my own choice and bring ordered to stay home are 2 very different things and frankly its pissed me off in ways i cant fully explain. The more i read about this virus the less i believe in the reasons given to lock us down….as you will have seen from my latest blog post. All the best Chris. We need to protect those at risk…the very old, weak and immune deficient but locking everyone down is not the way to go.
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