Personalities in the World

Before the Bendigo Writers Festival (BWF) properly started I was able to attend the school day 'Text Marks the Spot'. A very interesting sessions that day was one hosted by Sue Gillet where she interviewed/talked with Gabrielle Tozer and Jaclyn Moriarty. During this session they discussed social media and identities. I found this really enjoyable, but I couldn’t help but notice a difference between Tozer and Moriarty. Put simply, Tozer came across as more extroverted, whilst Moriarty came across as more introverted. I saw both authors numerous times during the weekend, and was reminded of this each time.

Seeing this difference, and being reminded about it, made me think about the way we, as a society, seem to favour extroverts. A lot of modern jobs often require ‘networking’ and small talk and people who are good at this are often rewarded through job promotions and the like. Many people describe confidence, and the ability to easily converse to strangers of people who you have just met, as attractive. Introverts, however, are less likely to be good at these things and can sometimes come across as standoffish and quiet, purely because that’s the way they seem to be wired.

Though I don’t always come across as an introvert (in certain moods and situations I seem incredibly  extroverted), I would say I am an introvert through and through. I get incredibly self-conscious around and have trouble talking to people who I admire, find intimidating or find attractive. In the past, I have been led to believe that people found me standoffish and unapproachable and that it seemed like I thought I was better than everyone else. None of this was true, but because I wasn’t outgoing and struggled to talk to people I didn’t already know, that’s how I came across.

Obviously, not all extroverts are like the examples I have given, and introverts are not like I have described, and I am in no way criticising extroverts. However, I can’t help but feel that as a society we need to give introverted people a break and accept that different people are comfortable in different situations and should adjust our expectations. Maybe then differences in personalities won’t be as noticeable as it sometimes was at BWF.