Thoughts about inroverts/extroverts/in betweeners on a long hike

[DrRichardCranium]

A friend of mine on Facebook posted a link to a TED talk about introverts by Susan Cain.

My belief was that being an introvert can be a real plus during long distance hiking. I read so many trailjournals of other hikers who are not introverts, having a hard time being alone, and feeling forced to alter their hikes to match speed with the people they desperately want to be with.

I would hike with other people for a few days, hike by myself for a few days, and then I might hike with yet others later on. I never felt compelled to hike SOMEONE ELSE'S hike, and I enjoyed myself no matter what.

Anyone else have any thoughts about this?

[kayak karl]

to do something like a long distant hike you will probably need to leave friends at home and go against what some want you to do. to then "feel forced to alter their hikes to match speed with the people" seems to me to contradict their goals ?? HYOH, although an over used cliche, seem appropriate here. i like meeting people on the trail. i like hiking with people, but the same people the whole hike?

[Another Kevin]

How do you tell an extroverted hiker? He looks down at your boots.

[rocketsocks]

More and more I think hikas process both characteristics to a degree...is that even possible? But I could be confusing this with self actualizes...I dunn no, I could be wrong...but I doubt it.

[Dogwood]

A friend of mine on Facebook posted a link to a TED talk about introverts by Susan Cain.

My belief was that being an introvert can be a real plus during long distance hiking. I read so many trailjournals of other hikers who are not introverts, having a hard time being alone, and feeling forced to alter their hikes to match speed with the people they desperately want to be with.

I would hike with other people for a few days, hike by myself for a few days, and then I might hike with yet others later on. I never felt compelled to hike SOMEONE ELSE'S hike, and I enjoyed myself no matter what.

Anyone else have any thoughts about this?

YES! Don't let yourself be neatly defined by or conformed to labels as others would like so they can divide the world up further into neat comfortable to analyze narrow little categories(boxes?)! We're often a combination of characteristics or labels anyhow. For example, I see the world as a liberal, progressive, conservative, Christian, Moslem, Agnostic, Buddhist, carnivore, omnivore, vegetarian, U.S. citizen, world citizen, etc etc etc. I'm a speed hiker, slow as molasses smell the roses hiker, day hiker, long distance hiker, section hiker, solo hiker, group hiker, Ul hiker, "that's a damn big pack" hiker, etc etc etc. I can be perceived as both an introvert and extrovert. I saw that TED talk too. It's amazing how in many societies we reward the extroverts with praise while in actuality they are only about half the population and many famous and highly accomplished people were introverts.

[rocketsocks]

YES! Don't let yourself be neatly defined by or conformed to labels as others would like so they can divide the world up further into neat comfortable to analyze narrow little categories(boxes?)! We're often a combination of characteristics or labels anyhow. For example, I see the world as a liberal, progressive, conservative, Christian, Moslem, Agnostic, Buddhist, carnivore, omnivore, vegetarian, U.S. citizen, world citizen, etc etc etc. I'm a speed hiker, slow as molasses smell the roses hiker, day hiker, long distance hiker, section hiker, solo hiker, group hiker, Ul hiker, "that's a damn big pack" hiker, etc etc etc. I can be perceived as both an introvert and extrovert. I saw that TED talk too. It's amazing how in many societies we reward the extroverts with praise while in actuality they are only about half the population and many famous and highly accomplished people were introverts....you forgot juggling lion tamer. :D

[Meriadoc]

How do you tell an extroverted hiker? He looks down at your boots.

Thanks for a morning chuckle. :)

[rickb]

There have been studies regarding the personality type of hikers as well as discussion in various threads, including one here: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-69271.html

What would interest me is whether or not the personality profiles of people who hike the trail these days, is much different than it was in years gone by.

For or all the changes to the social trail, I am guessing moot so much.

[fiddlehead]

I don't think of myself as an introvert.
I like talking to people (sometimes)
But, I like hiking alone even more.
I like taking breaks when I want to. (for as long or short as I care to)
I like doing big mile days (and sleeping on the trail, if it's the only flat spot)
I don't like camping near streams.
I don't like staying in town more than one night.

When I hike alone, all of the above are non-issues.
When I hike with others, at least some of them cause problems. (usually most)

Up to you! (when you hike alone)
Up to the group dynamics (when you hike with others)
Sorry if that's thread drift, but I've hiked with big mouth people and quiet ones.

[RED-DOG]

on all of my hikes including my three thru's i prefer to hike alone, and if i wanted to talk to someone all i did was wait around at a shelter and within a few moments they would be others hiking in, one is never truly alone on the AT, in my oppinion hiking alone is the best way to hike the AT that way you don't get used to having someone around you and when someone drops out you don't feel sad that within it self is enough to make someone drop out. HYOH

[RED-DOG]

I don't think of myself as an introvert.
I like talking to people (sometimes)
But, I like hiking alone even more.
I like taking breaks when I want to. (for as long or short as I care to)
I like doing big mile days (and sleeping on the trail, if it's the only flat spot)
I don't like camping near streams.
I don't like staying in town more than one night.

When I hike alone, all of the above are non-issues.
When I hike with others, at least some of them cause problems. (usually most)

Up to you! (when you hike alone)
Up to the group dynamics (when you hike with others)
Sorry if that's thread drift, but I've hiked with big mouth people and quiet ones.
YES i prefer the quiet ones.

[Dogwood]

http://riskology.co/alone/

After reading that link consider that Tyler Tervooren ALSO has publically spoke in front of large audiences(check out his TED talk!, the WB crowd would probably enjoy it!), organized large group events where he's in the middle of it all, etc all while doing so, seemingly to me, rather comfortably. I think he's a great example of someone who claims to be an introvert that smashes many of the preconceived stereotypical notions we can have of introverts.

Applying this to hiking, again, I see myself and quite a few others in the hiking community who exhibit BOTH introverted and extroverted behavior. That is, individuals can flip back and forth between the two traits depending on situations. For example, I can enjoy two straight weeks in packed AT shelters hobnobbing with folks and hiking with them during that duration. Then, for the next two weeks seek out stealth campsites where I solo camp and hike. This may seem contradictory because, again, some prefer tidy easy to analyze and categorize this or that, black or white, either/or personality traits. EVERYTHING is NOT black or white. Everything is NOT either good or bad, wrong or right, or in an on or off position. We're more complex than that, and, often exhibit some combination of introvertedness and extrovertedness. I determine my experiences! I determine my perceptions and paradigms. I determine what labels, if any, I wish to apply to myself!

[Alligator]

Introverted people can appear extroverted when engaged in a topic or pursuit that they are passionate about.

[Another Kevin]

Introversion and extroversion aren't about whether you like talking to others, or whether you're capable of dealing with social situations, except in really extreme situations. It's about where you get your energy. An introvert can go to a party with a huge crowd, hang out, and have a ton of fun. But then the introvert needs to go home and spend some time alone to recuperate, because the intense social interaction takes energy. On the other hand, the extrovert will get energy from the social interactions and be drained by quiet time.

Introverts generally get this point more readily than extroverts do, for some reason. I recall in a psychology class hearing the point explained, and a young lady - rather a social butterfly - raised her hand and asked in a Texas drawl, "Isn't there any way to help those poor, poor introverts? We have just got to make them come out of their she-e-el!" She simply could not fathom the idea that introverts - except for ones who are truly disabled socially - like it just fine where they are.

[rocketsocks]

Introversion and extroversion aren't about whether you like talking to others, or whether you're capable of dealing with social situations, except in really extreme situations. It's about where you get your energy. An introvert can go to a party with a huge crowd, hang out, and have a ton of fun. But then the introvert needs to go home and spend some time alone to recuperate, because the intense social interaction takes energy. On the other hand, the extrovert will get energy from the social interactions and be drained by quiet time.

Introverts generally get this point more readily than extroverts do, for some reason. I recall in a psychology class hearing the point explained, and a young lady - rather a social butterfly - raised her hand and asked in a Texas drawl, "Isn't there any way to help those poor, poor introverts? We have just got to make them come out of their she-e-el!" She simply could not fathom the idea that introverts - except for ones who are truly disabled socially - like it just fine where they are.
...and for me that means going hiking (or spending time alone doing the things I like) and recharging the battery's so to speak.

[SCRUB HIKER]

Introversion/extroversion is about preference. It's not absolute. I register as strongly preferring introversion on a Myers-Briggs test, but with certain groups of people in certain situations I am clearly extroverted, enjoying and gaining energy from all the social interaction.

As an introvert, I do believe I have more comfort with my own thoughts than most people, and hiking has only helped that. It's not that I desperately need to get that alone time, but I don't run from it. Before long-distance hiking, I was already at ease with the thoughts my mind tends to gravitate to, but now, after hundreds of hours alone on the PCT last summer, it's almost like a comfort zone when I find myself at the same crossroads in my head.

[SCRUB HIKER]

Meant to sign that last entry as:

- Scrub, one of the dime-a-dozen INTP long-distance hikers.

[Another Kevin]

Meant to sign that last entry as:

- Scrub, one of the dime-a-dozen INTP long-distance hikers.

INTP's of the world, unite! (Oh, wait a minute, I forgot, we can't....) :)

[Kerosene]

Introversion and extroversion aren't about whether you like talking to others, or whether you're capable of dealing with social situations, except in really extreme situations. It's about where you get your energy. An introvert can go to a party with a huge crowd, hang out, and have a ton of fun. But then the introvert needs to go home and spend some time alone to recuperate, because the intense social interaction takes energy. On the other hand, the extrovert will get energy from the social interactions and be drained by quiet time.

Introverts generally get this point more readily than extroverts do, for some reason. I recall in a psychology class hearing the point explained, and a young lady - rather a social butterfly - raised her hand and asked in a Texas drawl, "Isn't there any way to help those poor, poor introverts? We have just got to make them come out of their she-e-el!" She simply could not fathom the idea that introverts - except for ones who are truly disabled socially - like it just fine where they are.Good description, Kevin. A lot of my co-workers are surprised to learn that I'm a solid INTJ!