> a lot of introverts socialize a lot online
Are you sure we are introverts and not just people lacking enough IRL social outlets, or people suffering from social anxieties. Why would an introvert go online to socialize with complete strangers?
Are you sure we are introverts and not just people lacking enough IRL social outlets, or people suffering from social anxieties. Why would an introvert go online to socialize with complete strangers?
I think - and again, my experience, just another anecdote to throw in the bucket - that introverts like communicating online because we don't run out of gas as quickly, because there is less focus on immediate responses. We can step back, we can take a few minutes - or days! - to think before we reply. If we want to, we can be much more in-depth, take the time to analyze our own feelings and those of the others in the conversation.
Online, there's no rush to do your part in a conversation while a loud bar is overwhelming your ability to even hear the other party.
Having said that, I'm not so introverted that I don't need face-to-face time with friends. My D&D group hasn't met since August, and one of the players can't make it to a party we're hosting this weekend, and it bums me the fuck out!
edit: I just noticed you said "complete strangers". This isn't socializing for me; my online socializing is in Slack & Discord, with people I've known for years & decades - some of whom I first met online, some of whom I first met in real life, some of whom I met online first and then in real life (and attended the wedding of!), and some of whom I've never met IRL and may never meet.