At the risk of starting a debate rather than a venue for discussion...

What are your thoughts about the differences between introverts and extroverts? How do you feel as one or the other? I've kind of made the subject into what seems [hopefully only] a temporary hobby the last few months, and it just gets more interesting.

I am a complete introvert. I have social anxiety, social detachment. Hanging out with people, when I do, in more than a two-by-two situation outside of family (and sometimes even then) requires at least a full day of recovery time. I write. I play video games. I prefer to paint than go to a barbecue. I make friends easily, when I want to, but it takes a very long time and special circumstance to become good friends with intimate knowledge. And so on and so on.

I am an American. Without a second's thought, I believe my country to be extroverted in terms of majority ruling. At this point in life, I feel second-handedly bullied by "society." "Everyone," including jobs, new people I meet, some family, pop culture and so on is always pushing me to be extroverted, making my introversion seem like a sickness or weakness.

I'm a great faker to the outside world (I can talk when necessary to strangers, even though I hate it), and honestly just seem "quiet" or "reserved" rather than to the extents I know myself to be. I pay the price for acting "normal" in recoup time. But that's part of it too - I don't give up personal details that easily, but don't approve of being rude either. Of course, I am an extreme introvert to the point of debilitating health-wise, but that is my feeling...I, and people like me, should be allowed to be who we are without being told we're doing it wrong.

Perhaps I wouldn't have social anxiety if I wasn't pinned as being irregular from age two, being told that quiet can automatically mean rude, or saying little means causing awkwardness. One never knows, of course. Silence is something found to be awkward, at least in my part of the country, rather than a period for consideration or time to think. Small talk is expected, which is something a waste of time, pointlessly tiring, and sometimes even pandering to me.

I can't help but feel resentful of extroverts at times because of the above, or just plain overtaxed by them (finding many needy or just affronting), though of course I admire things about them too, including the traits I find difficult to handle, haha. Having those traits myself would make life much easier, and are great advantages in career and such. And imagine the visceral fun of just talking without tyrannical self-consciousness with a stranger and learning new things about people so easily and with such gusto! Extroverts seem to enjoy themselves more often, but really I think it's just their expression making it seem that way. I'm generalizing of course, but such is the nature of the subject.

So what is your take? Do you consider yourself one or the other? What do you think are some inaccurate or accurate stereotypes? Do you think your personal culture, religion, or society add to the introvert/extrovert situations or opinions you experience?

For the record, I am an INTP per the Meyers-Briggs typeology. There's a pretty solid test by HumanMetrics if you want to know yours, and great descriptions of each at TypeLogic, if you believe in such things. More often than not, I've found, they're pretty accurate.