Is that really hard for an extrovert to be 7 days alone?
this post was submitted on 07 Oct 2023
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A really good way I've heard it put is that introverts expend emotional energy on social interaction, and recharge it through isolation. Extroverts are the exact opposite. So if you imagine being forced to interact with other people non-stop for seven days, with no chance to have any alone time, and that's what this person was putting themselves through.
This metaphor also handily explains the difference between "introvert" and "antisocial." I love being around my friends, in the same way that some people love swimming. But just like swimming it's very tiring. Even Olympic swimmers can't swim all the time. So it's not that I don't like you, it's just that I'm exhausted and if I keep going I'll drown.
(Asocial not Antisocial - Anti-social is purposeful action of hostility towards people. Asocial is the purposeful avoidance of social interactions.)
Is it really that hard for an introvert to interact with someone constantly for 7 days straight?
Fuck I don't even want to interact with someone constantly for 7 hours straight.
Does staring off into space while someone talks at me count as "interaction"?
Well I'm not an extrovert and I have no idea if it's really the same for them to be alone as constantly interacting with people is for introverts.
Yes. I'm kind of an "extroverted introvert". I like being around people I know and my brain considers just being in the same room with someone to be "socializing", even if we aren't really interacting. I have no problem with you bringing up random topics or whatever, but if you're talking non-stop and expecting me to listen and respond then we're gonna have problems.
People get surprised when I say that because I can be very loud and talkative, but the thing they don't get is that A) my brain does not consider screaming random garbage in a toad voice while playing Mario Kart to be socialization, and B) I tend to be talkative in bursts, but if you're not around me a lot then you probably won't notice that.
I need breaks, and a break can be as simple as taking a nap on the couch while you play a game on the TV; or watching YouTube on my phone while you're reading a book. I still need breaks though.
Yes. People are exhausting -- particularly extroverts, who often won't let us do introvert things to recharge.
My dad freaks out after about an hour if he doesn't have someone around or on the phone. So... yes!
Extrovert here!
Yes.
Reminder that being anti-social is not the same as being introverted
And a reminder that being anti-social is not the same as being asocial.
Anti-social is active hostility towards society. Asocial is an avoiding of societal interactions.
Further confusing when in other languages it's the other way around! Like in German!
Yay language! Where's a babelfish when you need one.
Ideally in your ear.
That's a real video? How delightfully absurd.
Is this video just no human interaction, or is it more like that one twitch stream that was more or less subjecting his mod to psychological torture by challenging him to stay in a dark closet for three days for a new car?
I have three fucking cats I drag around the world with me because of the fucking pandemic. Just glad I finally have the resources in my life to actually do that now. But god-damn it's expensive
I have just one and yep. That's just the base stuff you need for their existence. Never mind the shit like toilet paper that they seem hell bent on destroying at all possible costs.
Yes I came out this morning to a roll shredded.
That title sounds like the tag line of 1/3 of Korean manhwa
I think 7 days with no human connection whatsoever would be difficult for anyone. However, I consider texting, social media and online games valid human connection. Frankly, I may even consider single player games or reading books human connection (as far as social needs are concerned), as you’re still interacting with a human creation and ideas.
True social isolation is nightmarish to me. But I’m pretty extroverted, anyways.
There is definitely a cost. I've spent an unhealthy amount of time alone in my life. I even used to be proud of how long I would go without talking. Much of that was caused by untreated social anxiety. It was easier to sequester myself in my dorm or apartment, and study or work remotely.
The result is that yes I found ways to cope without human connection, including imagining that I wasn't alone, but they make it far more difficult now when I do need to socialize, I feel all the more isolated and awkward.
Also not all human connection has the same value even to an extreme introvert. Like texting and such is OK, but a lot of times ppl are afk, so I might be in a very social mood but not able to satisfy it. Books, movies, games don't really "scratch the itch" for me personally.
Pfft I've spent longer isolated while recovering from the flu. Extroverts are completely alien.
I did a 3 week solo shift for work. It was amazing
If I had to spend 7 days constantly surrounded by people I’d be losing my shit.
lul