Living on the Outskirts, Friday, Period 2

[furnaceface]

"Today," Jono said as the last of his students found their way into whatever configuration made them the most comfortable, "we're going to be touching on one of those age-old problems. That is, we're going to be stopping to take a look at the difference between an introvert and an extrovert, and some common misconceptions made by the latter about the former. First and foremost, whether you're one or the other has nothing to do with how rude or how polite you are, or if you can or can't grasp basic social nuances. Extroversion and Introversion are both simply words to indicate whether people gain or lose energy by being around people, or if they usually benefit more from time spent in solitude to piece their thoughts together.

"An introvert, therefore, is not somebody who is shy, or somebody who is rude or a snob or who flat-out hates speaking with others. Certainly there can be rude, antisocial snobs in the lot. Just as there can be rude extroverts who don't understand basic social cues being put off by the people around them. To put it simply, introverts and extroverts are wired differently. It's the difference between having more activity in the front lobes of the brain when focussed on introspection, on problem solving, on complex thought, or having more activity in the back of one's brain, which reacts more strongly to external stimuli as an extrovert's brain does.

"Which is to say, in those moments when an introvert is being thrust into a social situation and they're not particularly talkative, it isn't because they're being rude or they don't know how to speak. It's because it takes actual effort to slide from that front brain mindset, and to remain there. And after that social situation, if they're not then in the mood to go for drinks and see if they can hit up a party or three, there's a good chance it's because they'd much rather go home and crawl into a book or a hot bath or just pass out in exhaustion." Jono cracked a wry smile. "Odds are, that's what I'll be doing after class."

Social exertion was hard, okay?

"Today's assignment is going to be fairly simple. I want you to figure out if you, personally, are an introvert or an extrovert, and then I want you to share with the class a few of the activities that you find refreshing, that you find energizing. You don't need to speak for long if you don't want to," he added, wryly. "Or, I suppose if you happen to be an extrovert, you're welcome to talk as long as you wish, just so long as you don't run us over into the next period."

[Open!]

Comments

Sign In!

[furnaceface]

Like an introvert! Or like an extrovert, whichever you happen to be.

Re: Sign In!

[seeshowyoudie.livejournal.com]

Miriam Black

Re: Sign In!

[withasword.livejournal.com]

Kate Daniels

Re: Sign In!

[ultron_junior]

Victor Mancha

Before Class!

[furnaceface]

Once again, it's the comfortable chairs, couches, and bean-bag setup. Right along with the pastries and the coffee and tea, possibly because Jono doesn't want you to fall asleep during his verbose lectures, or possibly because he fully intends to fetch himself several cups of coffee before the end of class.

Re: Before Class!

[seeshowyoudie.livejournal.com]

Miriam loved classes with free food. It was all she could do not to squirrel some pastries away in her messenger bag as well. She didn't have to here, but old habits died hard.

Lecture!

[furnaceface]

Once again, delivered by an introvert who can be extremely chatty when he needs to be.

Look, kids, he's just externalizing his thoughts. He's not actually carrying on a conversation with anybody during these lectures, so he'll be fine.

Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[furnaceface]

Which of the two are you? There's a true or false quiz on a handout that you're welcome to take if you aren't certain, and Jono has provided another handout with somewhat more comprehensive information on it than he's spoken about already.

When you've figured that out, share with the class. Let's see what it is that gets people energized, be it going out to dance or listening to music in a crowd, or staying home to read or play music solo, or something in between.

Jono is suspecting that he'll hear a lot of introvert-centric answers, in a class like this one.

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[seeshowyoudie.livejournal.com]

"I don't need a test to tell me I'm an extrovert," Miriam snorted. "It's kind of obvious."

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[furnaceface]

"Perhaps less obvious to those who don't know you so well, Miriam," Jono replied, smiling wryly. "I could base a guess on the way you dress alone, but... well, I used to run about wrapped from head to toe in black leather, so I wouldn't have the most unbiased opinion out there."

Honestly, now.

"Anyhow, the test isn't mandatory, it's simply there as a guide for those who aren't certain, as it's rarely so clean-cut a division between the two. Would you mind, then, if I were to ask what it is you get a rush from, as an extrovert? Those activities that leave you feeling energized or refreshed?"

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[ultron_junior]

"I come out extroverted," Victor said, still picking apart the remains of his croissant. "I'm not big on crazy parties or anything? I just feel better when I'm around people than when I'm not. Even if I'm just doing something like reading comics or playing with a computer."

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[furnaceface]

Jonothon nodded. That result really didn't seem to surprise him, no.

"Sometimes, that's all it needs to be," he offered. "Social activities don't need to be something as big as organized sports or frequenting dance clubs. Sometimes just the knowledge that there's somebody there with you can be enough. You find a benefit in having the company, where another person might feel that having someone there might mean an obligation to entertain, or an encroachment on their personal space. It all depends on the person."

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[pulseof_life]

"The test says that I am an introvert," Yeul said, tucking her feet up under her to be more comfortable. "Though I do not think I feel drained after being among people for long periods of time either."

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[furnaceface]

"It's possible that you're one of those people who exists on a sort of middle ground," Jono replied, thoughtfully. "An ambivert, they call it. What do you find refreshes you, if you don't mind my asking?"

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"Introvert," Cade said.

Chattily.

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[furnaceface]

Oh, he was the chattiest.

"And what, as an introvert, do you do when you feel as though you need to recharge?"

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[3girls-1core.livejournal.com]

It was hard to take a test like this when you had two other people in your head arguing about their answers and yours, but Sholeh persevered. "I'm an introvert," she reported when she was done. "But I'm pretty sure my sisters would be an extrovert and an...ambivert? If they were here and taking this test, I mean."

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[furnaceface]

"And if your sisters were here and taking the test, I'd be asking them for their answers as well," Jono replied, smiling faintly. "As it stands, I'd prefer to stick to your concrete answer, as opposed to their hypotheticals."

Ahaha, hypotheticals.

"So, what do you do, as an introvert, that you finds helps you energize yourself, Sholeh?"

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[whenshewasnice]

"Introvert," Natalie replied, succinctly. Had anyone expected anything else? "I read and play the keyboard or the piano."

Re: Assignment - Introvert vs. Extrovert!

[furnaceface]

Jono, for one, was absolutely stunned. Really.

"Not unlike my own reading and playing guitar," he offered, helpfully.

Talk to the TAs!

[furnaceface]

Who probably actually do cross that line a little more into 'antisocial' than just flat-out 'introverted.'

But Jono won't hold that against them.

Re: Talk to the TAs!

[harpy-daughter.livejournal.com]

Hey! There was nothing wrong with being an antisocial introvert when everyone was out to kill you or use you!

Still, Surreal was there, arms folded over her chest as usual.

Re: Talk to the TAs!

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

Cade was definitely moving his chair closer to the shadowy corner every week.

Talk to Jono!

[furnaceface]

Who has coffee, and therefore he's about as energized for a one-on-one chat as he's ever going to be.

OOC!

[furnaceface]

I'll be at work during the day, and I'll try to catch pings where I can, in a slowish sort of way.

And me? I'm totally an introvert. Like a bazillion and three percent.