Alone or Just Yourself?

[Ska]

I know introverted people in generally need time to re-charge, but when thinking about this recently I stumbled upon this question:

Is it more important for you to be alone or at someplace/with someone where you can be yourself and think clearly? Or both?

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I'd say it's important for me that I can be free and be myself, so that would probably be my answer. But, then again, I enjoy a lot of activities by myself that really couldn't involve others, so it's probably best I have my alone time. So I guess I'd have to answer both. If I had to pick one or the other, I'd probably go with alone time, since I can do whatever I want AND I can ALWAYS be myself.

What do you guys think?

 

[Black Rose]

Both.

Its no fun to hang out with jerks. I try not to be rude to people unless I need to defend myself.

 

[EditorOne]

Sorry, you just made a George Thorogood song pop into my head, "I drink alone."

"When I drink alone
I prefer
to be by myself."

Cracks me up every time.

Meanwhile: I can never think clearly when someone else is present. I cannot write when someone else is watching, unless I'm rewriting some poor reporter's story and want them to see how it could have been done more effectively (which isn't anything I actually have to THINK about, it's just there). I cannot relax in a room with other people IF input is expected from me.

I need time alone, function best alone, and I prefer to be by myself.

The only exception is small-group activity around a focused theme, like sailing a boat or firefighting. Those things, though, require only known, familiar, limited input from me.

 

[Ska]

Sorry, you just made a George Thorogood song pop into my head, "I drink alone."

"When I drink alone
I prefer
to be by myself."

Cracks me up every time.

Meanwhile: I can never think clearly when someone else is present. I cannot write when someone else is watching, unless I'm rewriting some poor reporter's story and want them to see how it could have been done more effectively (which isn't anything I actually have to THINK about, it's just there). I cannot relax in a room with other people IF input is expected from me.

I need time alone, function best alone, and I prefer to be by myself.

The only exception is small-group activity around a focused theme, like sailing a boat or firefighting. Those things, though, require only known, familiar, limited input from me.

Yes, I know what you mean when you say you can't write when other people are watching. I hate using my laptop anywhere but alone and hate when people try to look at my screen or ask me what I'm doing. You also make a good point about being pressured for input, I get that too. But I when I'm around my close friends I can normally block that out and just focus on whatever I'm doing - they expect it from me.

 

[Silas]

Alone, especially after a day at college where I feel drained constantly. Activities such as drawing, writing, concentrating in most ways, shapes and forms especially just thinking becomes difficult.
I feel my mind clear as soon as the house becomes empty, and become completely myself, even if the other occupant of the house isn't making any noise/is downstairs.
I don't mind going on a walks/outings with others however, as long as it doesn't become more than say 4 people.

 

[Philosophyking87]

I prefer to be alone. Plain and simple.

 

[Midus]

I like being alone and given time to think, but I can quickly move from that to just hanging around friends. Even when around a lot of people, I feel secure in being alone in a crowd. Able to distance myself just enough to keep my sanity.

 

[shoeless]

depends on the person.

if you can find someone who you can sit in silence with for long stretches of time without it being awkward or uncomfortable, that's one of the best things in the world. for me, my "alone time" can't be lonely. i go crazy.

 

[Nothing]

I prefer to be by myself. While I do sometimes enjoy hanging out with friends I can't stand to be around people for more than a few hours and I always feel drained after they leave.
(This has gotten really bad lately since they seem to want to hang out every day. I don't.)

 

[unhinged]

depends on the person.

if you can find someone who you can sit in silence with for long stretches of time without it being awkward or uncomfortable, that's one of the best things in the world. for me, my "alone time" can't be lonely. i go crazy.

^ Definitely this. Though sometimes I do go mad and need to be away from everyone. Then I just go to my room, put on some music and read.

 

[CoryJames]

I think human contact is necessary and pleasurable, in some scenarios. It IS necessary, you can see that with infants. They need to be touched and talked to or they won't develop properly. We are herd animals, not lone predators.


When getting something important done though, I would much rather be alone.

I would say I spend 60% of my waking time alone, 40% with others.

 

[Mike72]

Alone, people pressure me, even if they don't want to... But being myself, even though it doesn't relax me, still doesn't drain my energy as much as if I'm not, if any.

 

[ashitaria]

I like to be alone too, or at least with someone I trust.