My last blog post got me thinking a familiar thought: does the fact that I don’t have a large “network” of connections make me a loser?

Truth is, I have wondered this same question, although in many different forms, my whole life. In high school, I always asked myself why I wasn’t very popular, or why I had a harder time fitting in. Or when I was at work, I would constantly wonder why nobody around me seemed to have the same personality traits that I possessed. And it wasn’t until I went to college that I finally found out why I may seem “weird” to others; why I may be a “bore” in some people’s eyes. Basically, it’s because I AM odd – statistically speaking. I am an introvert.

Many sources and census reports have concluded that about 75% of the population are extroverts – people who are outgoing, social, good communicators, etc. This means that only about a fourth of the population, an overwhelming minority, is introverted like myself. So by definition, we are the stranger breed. And to add to our isolation, it seems apparent that most of that 75% doesn’t understand introverts, or they see introverts as being “different” and “boring.” Consequently, we are often considered to be nerdy, labeled strange before people get to know us, or cast aside because we seem standoffish.

Introverts are characteristically inclined to act shy, tend to enjoy individual activities, and love to learn and read. But what you may not know is that all these traits combined contribute to the conclusion that introverts are normally smarter than extroverts. Although only 25% of the population are introverted, when you look at the percentage of PhD’s, Rhodes Scholars, and Phi Beta Kappas who are introverts, the trend becomes much more common. Two articles I found (listed below) state that almost 75% of these “scholarly” individuals are introverts. And I realize this doesn’t automatically mean that every introvert is smarter than every extrovert, but when you consider how introverts spend their time to how extroverts spend their time, it should be obvious how this result is realized. We (introverts) like to read long, thought-provoking books. Majority of us spend some of our time playing an instrument. We don’t go out, socially that is, as much as extroverts. So in the end, at least when it comes to academics, we are more spongy; we spend more time soaking up information.

Also, although this is hard to measure, introverts normally have longer, more loyal relationships. My belief is that it takes us introverts SO long to feel truly comfortable around a new friend, that once we get used to them and enjoy their company, we don’t want to give it up. Further, it is now common knowledge that introverts dislike small talk. We search for something more interesting to converse about. Therefore, by avoiding small talk, introverts confine themselves to a limited number of friends. And thus, because they have fewer friends, it is easier for them to listen and contribute to these friendships, which, in turn, creates a greater bond in the relationship.

So for those outgoing, social butterflies out there that dislike our kind: check out the websites below and maybe you will learn to be more patient when meeting an introvert like me.

Sources:

http://www.briankim.net/blog/2007/10/top-5-things-every-extrovert-should-know-about-introverts/

http://www.theintrovertzcoach.com/if_i_would_pick.html

http://lessonsforliving.com/intoversion__extroversion.htm

http://www.theintrovertadvantage.com/being.html