People who truly avoid “human interaction with strangers” are going to slowly eliminate themselves from the gene pool–not all at once, but slowly. You can see it now in the fact that the percentage of extreme introverts is lower now than it has been at any other point in history.

So a lot of this discussion will be meaningless in the future — kind of like discussing how to overcome a disease that has been eradicated.

Introversion and social anxiety are distinguishable primarily by the anxiety part. Shy people are generally afraid to speak up, while the introvert is not afraid, but simply may not want to speak up.

The difference between introversion and extroversion has less to do with being an outgoing party animal or a retiring wallflower, and more to do with how a person gets their – for lack of a better word – psychic energy. What helps a person thrive and feel alive? Is it socializing with other people or is it solitude?

A good example is my boyfriend and I. I am the innie. After a long day at work, I come home to my computer, turn on the TV, or dive into some reading material curled up on the couch content not to talk to anyone. I have missed my bf, BUT chances are he has called me several times during the day to chat, whatever. It’s sweet and I love him for that. But when he gets home and starts in on the chatter, I’m cool with that up until a point. Past that point I feel irritated and put upon. That’s because to relax, I need the talking to stop and to retreat into my own inner world. I will be a bitchy, evil, stressed out person who is unpleasant to be around otherwise. After all, I have expended a lot of energy at the job working beyond my social comfort zone. My default is to live inside my own head.

I also happen to be a little shy – primarily around authority figures and in front large groups. However, this has nothing to do with how I derive my psychic energy.

My beloved, on the other hand, is an extrovert. He comes home and immediately starts talking to me, and then gets on his cell phone and starts calling his friends. He probably talks to about 3 – 4 friends every day, and he may have had lunch or drinks with a few other friends earlier in his day. That he gets his energy from socializing is very clear. He enjoys chatting to random strangers, and likes inviting a group of friends along on events. He often seems to get bored quickly unless he has several people around. Like many extroverts, he is not confident in each and every social situation. He also feels somewhat shy at parties where he knows NO ONE and speaking in front of large groups. But this has nothing to do with his extroversion.

I am largely introverted, but I recognize the difference between being social anxiety and introversion. It seems the nervousness most people refer to would be due to social anxiety, and not introversion… at least, from my own perspective. For myself, introversion means I like my solitude, but also that when in groups I’m more of a “watcher.” I don’t feel uncomfortable in this role, and I think it’s quite natural for some people. Being a “watcher” (an introvert) allows me to analyze what is going on in the dynamics of the group setting, and be more critical when there is something worth saying.

My question is this: am I justified in believing that there is a legitimate difference between introversion and social anxiety (even if one typically includes the other)?