I just had a revelation that not everybody that uses social media sites crave conversations or meaningful connections. Some just want to share links with people and that's how they want to use twitter or friendfeed for example. Could it be then that most people who have introvert traits don't really want to connect with people?
Very likely. I only get into discussions about politics, economics, and religion, which are not most people's cups of tea. I may like other things, but I rarely discus them online. I don't really crave 'connections' with people online, I view them as sources of content.
- Alex Scrivener
I'm an introvert, but I do enjoy a useful conversation
- William Harryman
This is an important thing every person talking or advising about the interactive web needs to understand: different people use it differently for different reasons.
- Patricia
i like discussing music-making and everything that goes along with it. sadly, i have yet to meet anyone in FF or FB or anywhere other than message boards (UGH!) or IRC who is like-minded.
- Joe Silence is not dead
You are a bit kinder than I am. Maybe I should learn to look at things like you do. However, I see a lot of people that live in their own little world and just don't care about other people. They want themselves to be the spotlot of attention and wouldn't dare give attention to someone else.
- Hummie
Yup, you're assumption is correct. See Forrester.com/groundswell then click on "Profile Tool" to find out why
- Jeremiah Owyang
Dead Silence, rooms may help with that. I find it more difficult to have topical conversations when everyone's feed is a mass of all different interests and inputs.
- joey
I don't know that it's just introverts. I'm a strongly expressed introvert, and I love interacting with people online. It's much easier and less stressful for me than interacting offline - although gaining confidence through online interaction has improved my offline confidence as well and I'm far less shy than I used to be.
- Jandy, ConcertMaven of FF
Jandy - same here - my thoughts exactly! I'm still working on the offline confidence... hoping that will improve as time goes on...
- Jannifer @wordsforliving
i see what you mean but there are also different ways of using social media. Some use it strictly as a way positioning themselves as industry leaders, some for business and some for fun. The strategies are different.
- Violet Mae Lim
Aaah - so true Violet... I have to remember that not everyone is exactly like me or want the same things out of it!
- Jannifer @wordsforliving
I think you're on to something although I'd never want to concede your last point even though that might be deductively true. For some of us it takes a while longer to open up and 'engage' per se but I'm hoping that its just part of the natural learning curve.
- Adi
Adi - I'd been puzzled over other introverts not wanting to chat even online. I don't understand this since I'd like to connect with other like-minded people, but at this point, it's definitely a mystery to me.
- Jannifer @wordsforliving
I like connecting, sharing, learning, and don't have a thing to sell you but my smiling mug. :-)
- Mathew A. Koeneker
I like getting involved in discussions online, but I'm not sure that I really connect.
- John (a.k.a. dendroica)
I fall under the introvert category. I do more sharing of links and content and original thoughts than conversating. I guess conversating isn't a word.
- Holden Caulfield
Have to disagree with the opening statement. Just had an interesting time with some twitter peeps about Friendfeed-aggregated news links. Because the links came into Twitter around ten-to-a-time, my followers didn't like it. Pretty much unanimous they wanted commentary and conversation.
- George Hall (Australia)
Exactly George - that's my thoughts. What happened was I came across one person (and maybe this person is rare), that actually stated that she did not want the conversations, but only wanted to use social media to share info and links. This was quite a surprise to me, as I assumed every single person on the planet would want commentary and conversation. So seeing her disclose that she did not want the conversation (& evidenced by the fact that she rarely replies to people on twitter or FF), it then it dawned on me that wow - as weird as it is to me personally, there must be some people that don't want the conversations!
- Jannifer @wordsforliving
I have gained true friends through the internet. I use it to connect, to discuss common interests and to learn.
- Lis Miller
I think I function in social media much like I do in the real world. It takes me awhile to find those I really connect with. I don't care for all the silly stuff most of the time. It's kind of like small talk which bores me after awhile. But when I can get into a good discussion with a group about something I'm really interested in, then I'm more than willing to engage. However, I find that people are too anonymous on the webz and there are too many who don't want to behave civilly, so I don't engage as much as I might like to. My real life experiences are better for me because I can read all the other cues, like body language, tone of voice, etc. that are extremely important in communication.
- Jill is sugar free
I'm kind of the opposite, Jannifer. I find that conversation and connection are much easier for me online than in person. I don't get worn out or overstimulated nearly as quickly or easily. And, of course, every day is different. I may be in a silly, frivolous mood today and a more serious mood tomorrow.
- Ladybug Heather
Not being an introvert I can't say for sure, however I think that even people with introverted traits would still find happiness from conversation and connecting with others. I know one guy who claims to be shy but is quite outspoken on Twitter, with over 8,000 tweets, very few of them links.
- Garin Kilpatrick