On labels, stereotyping and mischaracterization in social media

As I was lying in bed for a very long time yesterday morning, I browsed through my Facebook feed and read this comment from one of my contacts:

“Introversion=selfishness. . .”

The post has since been deleted so I can’t quote for you exactly what it said. The essence of it was that the author of the post claimed that he received slack for putting himself out there and that he was “on to us” and “7 steps ahead” and blah blah blah and that introverts are selfish and worry more about what other people think of them than they should.

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I had lots of thoughts in regard to this. It boiled down to the fact that I don’t think he even knows what it means to be an introvert.

I posted a short reply, but decided to not engage further. It was clear it was a waste of energy.

Have you had a similar experience? What would you have done?

 

 

5 thoughts on “On labels, stereotyping and mischaracterization in social media

  1. That is so interesting. You know I am married to a complete introvert, who also happens to be incredibly caring, giving, and a far cry from selfish. Sometimes I think I am being selfish with my extroverted self by shouting my opinions, and ideas all over the internet, like who am I to think I deserve to take up this space saying all of these things.

    I think it all boils down to one thing. It is a truth I go back to over and over again.

    People are crazy. Plain and simple. So many people grow up with the notion that I am right and you are wrong and my way is the only way. We can feed this nonsense by engaging the fishing for controversy posts and blogs and statuses, or we can keep trying to shine a light into our dark crazy world.

    I am crazy too, I admit it. But I sure do try to share my crazy with love and err on the side of grace before I start making heart proclamations about people I know nothing about!

    Love when you write Amy, it always makes me think.

    1. Thanks, Casey! I love when you write too! It is so easy to compare the worst of everyone else with the best of ourselves. It is something I need to make sure to not do myself.

  2. I know that being introverted sometimes involves being shy which sometimes involves being worried that people will think badly of you, so I can see where he is coming from. But to make a blanket statement that introverts are selfish is ridiculous. I know plenty of non-selfish introverts and hope that I am one, too.

    What would I have done? Probably posted, like you did, but probably not reply to him, since people with that sort of attitudes won’t be changed by someone they don’t even know replying and it would just frustrate me if he replied to my reply in a derogatory way.

      1. Oh, my goodness. So maybe you could change his thinking a bit. Good luck with that. If he doesn’t change, maybe just look at it as something somebody did to him when he was younger, or something… there must be some reason he feels this way.

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