Blog From A Hermit Dot Com

It’s a fair assumption that most intentional hermits are introverts – like Griz and me. There may be a few extrovert hermits about, but they are likely unintentional hermits – living in solitude by accident or sacrificial choice – hiding from the law, castaways on uncharted islands, last-man-on-earth characters like Will Smith in I Am Legend.

Introverts as a whole (not just hermits) are considered a bit odd by many people, though introversion and extroversion have equitable and complementary benefits.  Introverts are a minority though - making up only 25 to 30 percent of the population. The consolation is this: the ratio gradually switches as IQ’s rise – introverts make up 70 to 75% of individuals with IQ’s in 160+ range.

Sigmund Freud’s the guy to blame for declaring introversion a negative pathology. He considered introverts sexually-repressed narcissists who prefer their internal fantasies to real-world engagement. Unfortunately, Freud’s opinion tends to echo on even though Carl Jung improved the introvert image and removed the sexual element altogether in his theories of psychological types.

The primary difference between extroverts and introverts is this: extroverts are motivated and energized by external events and interactive creativity (highly-social) - introverts are motivated and energized by ideas and internal creativity (not-so-social). A very well-done, more exhaustive discussion of the differences is available here. Most of the world’s great leaders have been extroverts. Most Einsteinesque “fathers-of-invention” have been introverts.

Recent neuroscience research on brain activity (using PET scans) indicates introverts and extroverts actually use their brain architectures differently. Extrovert brain activity tends to be most active in the sensory processing regions of the brain. Introvert brain activity is more focused in the frontal lobes. This supports the external manifestations: extroverts seek a lot of stimulation and sensory input; introverts tend to take a little input and run with it internally – pondering things and getting their jollies from recontextualizing and reformulating. Hence, the contemplative hermit spirit.

Of course in reality, very few of us are absolute introverts or absolute extroverts. Most of us fall somewhere along the continuum. And even if our brains are working one way or the other, the external expression of our socialness (or lack thereof) may change at times over our lifetime as circumstances and needs evolve.

Even living as a hermit is as much about opportunity as it is about desire or inclination. For most people in today’s society, the hermit lifestyle tends to be a choice of mid-life and beyond:  after education and the primacy of income development; and (unless celibate) after mate-seeking and child-rearing – all fairly social activities no matter how you’re using your brain.

Introversion is no better or worse than extroversion – it’s just a different expression of the same humanity. The world is a better place because our differences work in concert. Even if it was a brilliant, pondering introvert who invented the wheel, if it weren’t for a few extroverts seeking the thrill ride of using it to get from there to here, humanity may have died young, contentedly spinning donuts in the cave.