Since there are more extroverts than introverts in the world, us introverts often feel misunderstood and alone. “The problem is that labeling someone as an introvert is a very shallow assessment,” composer and filmmaker Carl King wrote. He thinks introversion goes a lot deeper than most people think.
King wrote a list of common myths about introverts after discovering a book called The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World by Marti Laney, Psy.D. “It felt like someone had written an encyclopedia entry on a rare race of people to which I belong. Not only had it explained many of my eccentricities, it helped me to redefine my entire life in a new and productive context.”
Carl pointed out a portion of Laney’s book that talks about how introverts and extroverts’ brains are simply wired differently. “If the science behind the book is correct, it turns out that introverts are people who are oversensitive to dopamine, so too much external stimulation overdoses and exhausts them. Conversely, extroverts can’t get enough dopamine, and they require adrenaline for their brains to create it. Extroverts also have a shorter pathway and less blood-flow to the brain. The messages of an extrovert’s nervous system mostly bypass the Broca’s area in the frontal lobe, which is where a large portion of contemplation takes place.”
The book states that only 25% of the population is an introvert. “There are even fewer that are as extreme as I am. This leads to a lot of misunderstandings.”
With that said, we hope these myths about introverts can be cleared up with the following list written by Carl King. We know that it might be difficult to stay positive as an introvert living in an extroverted world, but just remember: you’re not alone! 25% of the population (or more) is right there with you.
Here are 10 myths about introverts that most people believe:
1. They don’t like to talk.
Introverts actually love to talk! They just prefer not to talk about mundane, everyday subjects that often come up in small talk. If you start any type of intellectual conversation, you can rest assured that the introvert will happily chime in (and probably won’t stop talking).
2. All introverts are shy.
While some introverts CAN be shy, not all of them are. Most just like to keep to themselves until they have a reason to talk. Introverts can be just as friendly as extroverts, but they like to conserve energy and not carry on conversations when they don’t have to.