Sometimes, introverts have conversations through music.
“Introvert”. A concept that has been often subjected to various misconceptions. Etymologically-speaking, the word “introvert” comes from modern Latin “introvertere”, as in intro- ‘to the inside’ + vertere ‘to turn’. But it was only in the early 1900s that Carl Gustav Jung, founder of analytical psychology, first introduced the terms “introvert”, “introversion”, “extrovert”, and “extroversion” as personality types, that became pillars of modern psychology.
Growing up, I’ve come to understand that this world mainly celebrates extroverts. The people who “put themselves out there”, the social butterflies who never seem to get socially exhausted and always have something to say. Add to this the misconception of qualifying introverts as “shy” or not liking to “socialize”. Well, let me tell you that now as a fully emancipated introvert, I can confidently say that coming out of that closet was at times, a roller-coaster ride.
In my teenage years and my twenties, the years where everyone kind of tries to figure who they actually are, I often found myself in between the concepts of “intovert” vs “extravert”. On the one hand, i loved getting to know people and socialize but on the other hand, it always took me some effort to talk to someone first, or to go out with friends a few days in a row. Needless to say, my more “extroverted” traits also became more and more “introverted” with age. At 28, I’ve come to truly understand and love what it actually meant to be an introvert.
It means having boundaries and being selective about who they chose to invest their energy in. It means being independent, without having the need to rely on external energies, which oftentimes are only disruptive or invasive when impeding on an introvert’s “space”. It means taking time to actually actively listen and think about complex topics, which are often followed by very unique and sometimes even out of the box answers. It means being able to feel so intensely, that they must retreat once in a while in order to recharge. Which brings me to my most recent observation – introverts and their great sensitivity to music.
I believe that people who tend to be more introverted, have a very special and unique relationship to music. Given that introverts have a greater sensitivity to stimuli when it comes to their environment, this also, by logic, includes sound. Now, it’s not “new news” that people find solace and expression through music, but I believe that people who are more contemplative and introspective by nature, might also be more attuned to the nuances found in music, allowing them to appreciate the complexity and depth of certain musical compositions.
Now, personally, I’m someone who’s a music-genre-chameleon. When scrolling through my Spotify repertoire, you can find songs from Vivaldi, to Eminem, to Slipknot, to Taylor Swift, to some hardcore acid techno track that I’ve shazamed at an underground party in Amsterdam. And I will love all of them equally, because there is genius in each genre. However, something that I’ve come to observe is that often with genres like rock- and heavy metal (who always came with a set of derogatory prejudices), you will find that fans are among the calmest and usually more introverted fans around.
This is of course a general observation, the human psyche is complex and there is a myriad of other personality traits that come with it. But after recently seeing Bullet for my Valentine in Luxembourg, I was again in awe by how music proves to be a means for people to connect with their emotions, to “let it all out”, and to communicate with others without necessarily engaging in direct social interaction.
When we entered Rockhal with my friend, I felt immediately at ease because of the vibe that was in the room. There was no pushing, no agitation, no stress…just a bunch of laid-back people, sipping on their beer, waiting for the band to arrive. Now, the true beauty lies in the moment when you hear the first deafening sound of the drumstick hitting, and suddenly these quiet, laid-back people, loose themselves in the almost therapeutic screams of metal. And it’s these fans of what the church deems the “Devil’s Music”, that often make for the most polite and considerate crowd, who will turn on the flashlight and have a time-out during a mosh-pit, just so that someone can find their lost glasses on the ground.
Of course, it’s important to note that not all introverts or extroverts have the same musical preferences. Some people may prefer more introspective, contemplative music, while others may enjoy more energetic and upbeat genres. Additionally, there are different ways of “consuming music”, such as a means of relaxation, a form of creative expression, or simply as a source of entertainment. Bottom line is, that music bring together people who, for a small glimpse of a moment, get to leave anything and everything behind the doors of the venue. For a brief moment, any divisions that exist in the “real world” disappear, and what fills the room is a sense of connectedness and the possibility to escape it all, and lose yourself in the music (pun intended). And introverts, such as myself, will find it an indispensable outlet to keep us sane in this insane in the membrane world (yes, another pun that was intended).
Truth be told, the world would be a much better place if people would just mosh-pit once in a while, as a means of catharsis, and just let it all go…*queue “let it go” by Elsa* (yes, I went there).