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rj_andersonA couple of articles -- I don't agree with everything the authors have to say, but as someone who is both an introvert and a nerd, I found them quite interesting:
Caring for Your Introvert
Why Nerds Are Unpopular
I particularly appreciated the statement in the first article that an introvert is someone who can give a dynamite presentation to a big audience, but seems awkward in groups and maladroit at small talk.... I knew I was introverted, but I wondered whether my lack of fearfulness, and indeed thorough enjoyment, of public speaking and performance meant that I had some odd latent extroverted tendencies, or what. This makes sense, though: the notion that introverts are "idea people" rather than "people people", and therefore can be comfortable dealing with general concepts and principles even in front of a large audience, yet still find themselves at a loss when talking to individuals.
I also liked the distinction Rauch draws between introversion and shyness -- I'm introverted to the point of finding it extremely difficult to sustain a conversation with someone I don't know well (and sometimes even with people I do know well), but even at that, very few people who know me would consider me shy.
The second article failed to resonate with me on a few points -- for instance, I had by far the worst time socially in public school, and it was only in high school that I started to make friends and actually enjoy being a nerd (the very opposite scenario to the one the author presents) -- but I do think Graham makes some very interesting observations about the artificiality of the school environment, and also about the importance of strong and loving families to nerd survival.
*makes sweeping gesture of benediction* Speak to me, my fellow introverts and nerds. I'm sure at least some of you will have thoughts and opinions about one or both of these articles, and I'd be very interested to hear them.
I particularly appreciated the statement in the first article that an introvert is someone who can give a dynamite presentation to a big audience, but seems awkward in groups and maladroit at small talk.... I knew I was introverted, but I wondered whether my lack of fearfulness, and indeed thorough enjoyment, of public speaking and performance meant that I had some odd latent extroverted tendencies, or what. This makes sense, though: the notion that introverts are "idea people" rather than "people people", and therefore can be comfortable dealing with general concepts and principles even in front of a large audience, yet still find themselves at a loss when talking to individuals.
I also liked the distinction Rauch draws between introversion and shyness -- I'm introverted to the point of finding it extremely difficult to sustain a conversation with someone I don't know well (and sometimes even with people I do know well), but even at that, very few people who know me would consider me shy.
The second article failed to resonate with me on a few points -- for instance, I had by far the worst time socially in public school, and it was only in high school that I started to make friends and actually enjoy being a nerd (the very opposite scenario to the one the author presents) -- but I do think Graham makes some very interesting observations about the artificiality of the school environment, and also about the importance of strong and loving families to nerd survival.
*makes sweeping gesture of benediction* Speak to me, my fellow introverts and nerds. I'm sure at least some of you will have thoughts and opinions about one or both of these articles, and I'd be very interested to hear them.
