Why Would You Do That? Why?

I’m an introvert in an extrovert world.  Not just the world itself but education is becoming more a hang out for extroverts.  Which makes it hard for introvert learners!  The whole system is geared towards extrovert children.  The whole ‘3 B4 me’ culture – which is basically as a learner you have to go to three ‘friends’ before you can bother the teacher with something you don’t understand. There is an emphasis on groupwork and being part of a team.  Now as a youngster I enjoyed team sports, football but only when I knew my role and was happiest as cross country or 800m runner.  I get team.  I’m just not sure I want to be part of one!

Case in point: Had two training opportunities this week – well that’s how they were described to me.  Not sure that they were really?  There’s a lot of so called CPD – continuous professional development that’s very amateur and does no developing.  Seem to spend a lot of time looking at tiny graphs. 

Quick sidetrack – if the graph is illegible in colour on the big screen what makes it more legible on those black and white powerpoint printouts they give you at these events – you know the ones!  And if you don’t, well you are very very lucky!

Anyway, at both of these events it was said ‘Go and talk to someone you don’t know.’  Which apparently some people find very acceptable to both say and do.  They are happy to go up to strangers and give them their opinions and hear what that stranger has to say. They even enjoy it.  I think these people might be extroverts. 

I, on the other hand, DO NOT WANT TO TALK TO SOMEONE I DON’T KNOW!  Why?  BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW THEM!  You answered your own query.  And I don’t understand why you would want to talk to someone you didn’t know.  Didn’t you people get the stranger danger talk when you were little.  Were you not listening?

Yet at every so called ‘training event’ I go to, I am asked to do this.  I find it hard enough to talk to people I do know.  People who may even call me a friend.  And when you are uncomfortable in this situation which I am – it is made out to be a fault of some sort.  People ask ‘If anything is wrong?’  Well apart from the whole situation!!  Apart from the whole world!  No, everything is fine!  It’s not that I don’t have thoughts and feelings about this – I just don’t feel the need to share them with you! Thanks!

Please don’t ask me to talk to someone I don’t know, especially with no time to rehearse what I might say.  Especially without at least half a bottle of a good red wine inside me!