omg, I just thought of something. I prefer to communicate with people at my own pace. Online, people tend to state their points / bottomlines in a more organized manner, kinda cutting the BS small talk out of the way? So, perhaps, I may be an extrovert-introvert? - Mona N.

I’ve seen a lot of conjecture on FriendFeed (and elsewhere) recently from some of the more active participants in the realization that they spend more time interacting with their “friends” on FriendFeed than in meatspace and in many cases seem to enjoy those interactions more than otherwise. Despite the fact that many of these people are just now realizing they feel this way, I don’t really think this type of behavioral bent is new. It’s just become more apparent because FriendFeed’s combinations of features is the first that’s come along in a long time that enables that behavior extremely well. It fulfills a need for a lot of us and that may be one reason why it’s so successful. It may also be one reason why FriendFeed might never be mainstream in the near term but eventually (it and other tools like it) will be the defacto standard communication protocols in an emerging evolution of the introvert.

Dissection of a meatspace introvert:
The majority of the people in the world don’t feel connected with other people unless they spend time with them in person. The majority of time that human civilization has been around the only means of communication was face-to-face (verbal and non-verbal). When you aren’t good at that real-time, direct, intense type of communication it’s not an easy world to live in. Introversion is really just a lack of being comfortable with meatspace communications. Introverts seem to withdraw because it’s much easier to avoid looking like a fool if you remove yourself from situations where you have to communicate directly with others. But that doesn’t mean that introverts need connections with other people any less.

A brave new protocol:
Introversion can be “cured” by changing the protocol of communications. With the emergence of every new communications technology networks have sprung up and virtual communities have formed. Before the telnet and BBSes on the internet there were HAM radio networks and previous to that there telephone switchboard operators who chatted when the lines were free and even earlier there were social networks of telegraph operators who would “chat” with each other when they weren’t relaying official communiques. These steps enabled the emergence of a new kind of relationship between people, a connection that though asynchronous and virtual is just as real and prolific as extrovert connections in meatspace.

FriendFeed, the enabler:
Channels such as FriendFeed (and even Twitter) give introverts an incredible amount of control over their connections with other people and lack of that control is what is intimidating about meatspace interactions. Introverts feel very comfortable (sometimes even more comfortable) with those connections being virtual because it gives them control of the intimacy of their interactions to a very high degree. Interacting on forums like FriendFeed enables that control by allowing them to handle communications…
…when it is convenient…
…at a comfortable pace…
…with no penalty for slow response…
…with no penalty for avoiding conversations that are uncomfortable, uninteresting or not useful…
…to deal with other conversations in the priority they prefer…
…and the ability to carefully craft their interactions to make the highest impact on those with shared interests.
They become adept at deciphering context that would normally be transmitted in meatspace by verbal inflection and body language. They become proficient at multi-tasking and participating in many different conversations simultaneously on different topics. They find that there are many more connections out there for them to make than they’d hoped for. Once they’ve dipped their toes in those waters and found them pleasant, they jump in the pool with full extroverted abandon.

An evolution:
Social-media introverts are training themselves for the future. We have found our place in the world. We are the ones suited for a future where the standard is that virtual connections will outnumber meatspace ones. We are the early adopters who test the limits of each new offering to see if it will give us an even better way to handle these connections more efficiently. This is why something can generate so much buzz within the “early adopter crowd” but remain out of the mainstream.

There’s a few assumptions that I think we take for granted that’s lost on most people: 1) privacy is an illusion, 2) we’re all interconnected, 3) we spend an acceptably large amount of time online. No matter how true those sound to us, for most people, there’s a lot of pushback. Which is why, when Facebook goes crazy with the privacy restrictions, we go “what the hell” when the rest of the world goes “thank god.” So I think anything that appeals to privacy, close networks, and saving a person’s time online is going to go over hugely with mainstream people. I think to ignore one for the sake of another is the wrong way to approach it. - Mark Trapp

Because the mainstream (by definition, the majority of the people in the world) are extroverts who are comfortable with the slower pace of meatspace. Is that to say that all early adopters are introverts? No. But since meatspace introverts are naturally drawn to these new opportunities for communication and more likely to actively seek them out it stands to reason that the majority of early adopters are meatspace introverts.
The introverts of the world have found their medium and as the pace of information generation continues to grow expanding the need for enhanced communication we will eventually be the norm instead of the oddity.

A conclusion:
So, all you fellow meatspace introverts out there in wonder of your new-found extroversion in social-media, consider yourself blessed that you’ve got the natural inclination to not only handle but enjoy those relationships. The world is changing and it’s about to be our age. We have the capacity to thrive on the virtual connections that so befuddle those people who are limited to meatspace interactions, and, barring any disasters that throw civilization back to pre-technology, your virtual interaction skills will be the skills necessary to be successful in life from this point forward. Enjoy your new found status. It’s about time the introverts had a chance to shine.