Source of Energy
As we transfer this general distinction made by Jung into the practical affairs of daily life, we can declare that Extraverts are oriented to and gain energy from the people and events occurring in their life. At the close of a long day of meetings and interpersonal interactions, the Extravert is likely to feel highly energized. They might find it hard to fall asleep after all of their “fascinating,” “enthralling,” or “compelling” interactions with other people or all of the “challenging,” “engaging,” or “inspiring” activities that consumed their daytime hours.
We can contrast this with the likely status of an Introvert after a long day of attending to the needs and interests of other people and/or participating in a variety of “required” activities. The Introvert is likely to be exhausted. To quote Greta Garbo (and famous Introvert), the Introvert “vants to be alone!” A long night of sleep awaits them. The Introvert is likely to look forward more to their dreams than to the meetings that await them in the morning.
The General and Their Tent
There is an alternative way to interpret what Carl Jung has offered as a distinction between the Extravert and the Introvert. This alternative way is rooted in the behavior rather than the attitude of these two players. Imagine that there is a large tent located on a hill. A battalion of soldiers is standing on the slope below the tent. They are awaiting instructions from their all-mighty general. A person in uniform stands in front of the tent, issuing orders and offering an inspiring message to the troops. Who is this person?
If the General is an Extravert, then the person standing in front of the tent is the General himself/herself. The troops are getting the word “straight from the horse’s mouth.” There is a second important person who is working inside the tent. This is the Aide to the General. They are supplying the General with important information about the enemy and the position and strategy of the enemy, as well as the concerns and strengths of the troops listening to the General. This information is slipped through the tent flap, from the Aide to the General.
What if the person standing in front of the tent, addressing the troops, is an Introvert? In this case, the person might appear to be the general; however, this is actually the aide. The General remains inside the tent, focusing on the critical issues being faced by their troop. The General is a skillful tactical and strategic thinker; furthermore, the Aide is a superb actor, making the troops believe that they are actually the General.
In real life, when there is no tent, General, Aide, troops, or battle to be fought, there is still an important distinction to be drawn between the Extravert and Introvert. What you see when interacting with the Extravert is “the real thing.” The Extravert is likely to be “straightforward,” and perhaps more candid than they should be. The Introvert is another matter. You aren’t getting “the real thing.” Rather, you are getting that which is being carefully processed “and sent though the slit in the tent.”
It is important to recognize that the Introvert might be sending their talented Aide in their place. Many successful actors in movies and on the stage are Introverts. You are observing the Aide at work, while the General is determining how the script should be “played out.” It is often the case that it will “take a while” before getting to know the “real” person who is hiding behind the mask as an Introvert. The Introvert themselves might not be able to distinguish between their General and their Aide, given the skillful way these two psychic entities coordinate their thoughts and moves.
