Networking & Introverts

[John G]

I think the question to be asked is: Are one's "characteristics" simply a part of one's Personality, rather than one's Essence? I think that in order to determine that one must be open to artificially adopting "unfamiliar" characteristics and playing with the concept of "personality".

Even in Jungian personality models there's a distinction made between the bias you are born with and keep and the idea of maturity/health levels for the personality factors. All things being equal, you tend to mature more for the traits you are biased towards, but the environment, school, job, peer pressure, things you work on, etc. can make you more mature in traits you aren't biased towards. The highest level for all types could be described as all for one and one for all and there's an idea that to get there, you have to do it for all the factors.

http://tap3x.net/ENSEMBLE/typeframe.html

 

[3DStudent]

@ PepperFritz:

I see now how an introverted person could be seen as self-absorbed. Being more outgoing and engaging with people as you did seems like a good example of external consideration and one of getting away from focus on the self and contraction. I could certainly "play" with the other mask and learn more about people and objectivity because in my present "state" I'm kind of distant from a lot of people. Oh, and I can't drive a stick shift.

 

[PepperFritz]

Oh, and I can't drive a stick shift.

It's actually really fun. There's a saying: You DRIVE a stick-shift, while you merely STEER an automatic....

 

[gotogo]

The title of this thread is inspiring.

Networking without Introverts1) ends up in arguing each other "subjectively".
Introverts1) without Networking ends up in being locked up in one's own "subjectivity".
It seems Networking &(with) Introverts1) is the only way to get out from "subjectivities" (to reach "objectivity" when Networking is collinear to the "Objective Truth"). :)

I think the ability to introvert our attention is very important quality in the Work. Without it, I don't think "self observation" or/and using "mirror" is possible. Also we can train our attention so that introvert AND extrovert our attention become possible, which is actually a quality of "Self-Remembering"

In its basic form, the practice involves being aware of one's inner state, including body, emotions and thinking, while also paying attention to an external object or activity.

====foot note====
1) the participants who have ability to look within oneself.

 

[Bar Kochba]

Whoa. I never thought of introversion as an sts quality but it makes sense because I do have a tendancy to become self-absorbed at times, which I never considered a negative until now. Perhaps introversion is just another program to overcome. I can be social, but with tremendous effort & a little inhibition. I am much better in an one-on-one shtuation. But the inhibitiom stems from fear of what others may think of me or that I may say something that will draw harsh criticism (which is sts because I'm thinking of myself). If I am to progress more smoothely, perhaps I should intend to overcome introversion (insecurity?) and find out if it's something I can rid myself of, like self-importance. Actually, it seems to be part of self-importance.

 

[T.C.]

Hi GotoGo

When you say introverts, are you thinking of 'introspection'?

From dictionary.com:

Introspection: Observation or examination of one's own mental and emotional state, mental processes, etc.; the act of looking within oneself.

 

[gotogo]

When you say introverts, are you thinking of 'introspection'?

From dictionary.com:

Introspection: Observation or examination of one's own mental and emotional state, mental processes, etc.; the act of looking within oneself.

Hello, T.C.,
Thank you for the correction.
Yes, I was thinking of 'introspection'.

 

[PepperFritz]

Introspection, from the Latin introspecto, meaning to look or see inwardly

Introversion, from the Latin introverso, meaning to turn inwardly

 

[Gimpy]

Whoa. I never thought of introversion as an sts quality but it makes sense because I do have a tendancy to become self-absorbed at times, which I never considered a negative until now. Perhaps introversion is just another program to overcome. I can be social, but with tremendous effort & a little inhibition. I am much better in an one-on-one shtuation. But the inhibitiom stems from fear of what others may think of me or that I may say something that will draw harsh criticism (which is sts because I'm thinking of myself). If I am to progress more smoothely, perhaps I should intend to overcome introversion (insecurity?) and find out if it's something I can rid myself of, like self-importance. Actually, it seems to be part of self-importance.

Way back in the days of yore (college), one of my close friends described me to one of his other friends as an "Ambivert". I'd forgotten all about that until this thread on introversion and networking.

Here's the quick wiki definition of ambivert:

Ambiversion

Although many people view being introverted or extraverted as a question with only two possible answers, most contemporary trait theories (e.g. the Big Five) measure levels of extraversion-introversion as part of a single, continuous dimension of personality, with some scores near one end, and others near the half-way mark.[7] Ambiversion is a term used to describe people who fall more or less directly in the middle and exhibit tendencies of both groups.[3][8] An ambivert is normally comfortable with groups and enjoys social interaction, but also relishes time alone and away from the crowd.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraversion_and_introversion

It's more about a balance of social interaction and personal 'down time', than just 'being more extroverted.' :)

Human behavior has a spectrum, and just because you're introverted, doesn't mean that's a permanent condition, like having double jointed thumbs would be. In doing the Work, all the issues gumming up the machine and causing 'cut and dried mechanical behavior', have to be gone through. Its that process that will help balance a person out.

 

[gotogo]

Introspection, from the Latin introspecto, meaning to look or see inwardly
Introversion, from the Latin introverso, meaning to turn inwardly

So can it be said:
Introversion is more 'mechanical' behavior therefor it can be a tendency or 'program' that we can work on.
While Introspection is more 'intentional' behavior therefor it can be an ability we can develop?

Yes, I was definitely thinking of "Introspection".

 

[obyvatel]

Introspection, from the Latin introspecto, meaning to look or see inwardly
Introversion, from the Latin introverso, meaning to turn inwardly

So can it be said:
Introversion is more 'mechanical' behavior therefor it can be a tendency or 'program' that we can work on.
While Introspection is more 'intentional' behavior therefor it can be an ability we can develop?

Taking introversion as turning inward, introversion which goes beyond a lack of confidence/inhibitions etc (which are likely caused by narcissistic wounding), is probably the essence of STSness. While thinking of pathological cases like psychopaths/sociopaths for example, it seems that they may display all the characteristics of extroversion to the external world while being only concerned with the self. Will it be correct to say that they are "introverts" - after all the dictionary meaning (taken from Merriam-Webster) of introversion is

the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in one's own mental life.

It seems like introversion in the real sense of the term, may go beyond the domain of purely mechanical behavior. On the other hand, a person deemed introverted by observable behavior, may in reality care deeply for others but unable to express the feelings suitably due to mechanical programs caused among other things by narcissistic wounding. OSIT

 

[Psalehesost]

Depending on the definition of "concern and interest" (in a deeper or shallower sense, ie. underlying mentality vs way of action), there can result several definitions of introvert vs extrovert. In the deeper sense (being concerned primarily with oneself), I agree that introversion can be said to be an STS trait. In the shallower sense (how actions proceed, and here I do not mean as a result of neurotic issues such as social anxiety or shyness which result in inhibition, but by one's nature), extroversion involves seeking external stimulation and social involvement for the sake of external stimulation and social involvement, which amounts to feeding, which in turn is STS.

The psychopath would be an extreme of introversion in the deeper sense and extroversion in the shallower sense, OSIT. And an example of how the two seem to be negatively related (inner introversion -> outer extroversion, inner extroversion -> outer introversion), the extroversion in the shallower sense (behavior) proceeding from the introversion in the deeper sense (mentality).

By contrast, a more STO individual would - OSIT - be extroverted in the deeper sense, but introverted in the outer sense, no longer seeking pleasure in the exterior world nor participating in social feeding, acting instead more purposefully from a higher mentality, engaging externally according to external considering (which corresponds to extroversion in the deeper sense).

 

[3DStudent]

I agree with Csayeursost in that there can be two categories to "label" an introvert or extrovert, being deeper or shallower, or inner and outer. I normally would use and classify depending on the outside behavior of the person, but they may have an inner mentality that is for others or for their self and is not exhibited in their external behaviors.

 

[Psalehesost]

An update on what I wrote before: I actually thought more or less of this the same day not too long after writing, but I never ended up posting it. One thing is missing which makes what I wrote an oversimplification, namely that it is quite possible for someone to be strongly introverted both in the deeper and shallower sense - while that would make for a "weaker" STS-polarizing "individual" who simply wastes away as a "dream in the past", OSIT. I know because I spent about a year and a half getting ever more deeply submerged into pleasure-seeking inwardly, as opposed to outwardly, dreaming away as my mind became ever more narrow, twisted and distorted (and I became much like what Mouravieff described as a "chimeric" person). It was at the "height" of this time in my life that latent neuroticism festered, surfaced and grew along with the ponerized personality formation and emotional conditioning, a development which it has taken a year and a half of work to largely reverse. It is only now that I begin feeling more like before this period in my life, arriving again (though with more knowledge, understanding and maturity) near where I had a "breakdown" or "bankruptcy" before it all went worse (not having anything to point me to the Way back then).

 

[Buddy]

On the other hand, a person deemed introverted by observable behavior, may in reality care deeply for others but unable to express the feelings suitably due to mechanical programs caused among other things by narcissistic wounding. OSIT

I can relate to that. Using my own life experiences as an example, in my pre-adolesecent years, I was called 'shy', but in my adolesecent and early adult years, I was referred to as 'introverted'. I did care a lot about others, but didn't know how to express my feelings 'appropriately'.

During these times, a majority of my attention was turned inward - fixated as it were, due to extreme self-consciousness. I was always looking at myself severely - the way I imagined others were seeing me, and being afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing and being laughed at, ridiculed or reprimanded. I could be embarrassed or made ashamed of myself easily.

Of course, today I understand that I was simply afraid of being exposed as a 'baby' - emotionally undeveloped and lacking knowledge that appeared to be common among my peer group.

All that represents what "introversion" means to me. By contrast, when I'm introspecting, I'm generally doing an inner inspection of my thoughts, beliefs, fundamental concepts, or simply trying to observe/understand what's going on in my 'inner thinking space'.

This whole "need for networking" thing is a relatively new addition to my life (being 49 yrs. of age and having spent most of my life as a loner), and I'm still experimenting and adjusting, and trying to find my place, but it is exactly what I need in my life right now and I'm enjoying the learning experience!