The introvert must learn that to the extrovert, appearance is all-important, while to the introvert himself substance is what is important. Hence, for an introvert to function in an extroverted world he must learn to pretend. For pretense is all the extrovert requires. As an example of how profoundly the introvert and extrovert differ imagine a rock, stuck into this rock is a little flag labeling it "ROCK". An introvert comes by and sees the rock. He sits down to ponder, "What is this thing 'rockness', and how does it relate to me". An extrovert comes by and sees the rock. He grabs the flag, and waving it excitedly over his head, he runs after his friends, yelling, "I found a rock". The point here, if you missed it, is that to the introvert the important thing about the rock is an understanding of it and how it relates to him. To the extrovert the important thing is the label. This profound difference is what makes it so difficult for an introvert to function in a world where the majority (75%) of the populace are extroverts. The probable distribution of traits in a population is along a bell curve with the median in the center. For the population as a whole the line between introverts and extroverts is half way down one side. This means that to someone one on the median an extreme extrovert and an extreme introvert are equally far away, but in different directions. To someone on the extrovert/introvert line someone on the median is as far away as is an extreme introvert. If by stretching your mind you can understand an extreme introvert and someone equally far in the opposite direction, that still leaves one half of the population incomprehensible to you. So, the introvert would be well advised not to waste his time trying. How to deal with rules, laws, shalts, and shalt nots become simple once you understand the different perspectives involved. Extroverts pass rules because rules are a "good thing". Introverts think if there is a rule there must be a reason for it so they should obey it. As the extroverts pass more and more rules, the introvert finds himself under more and more constraints. What the introvert misses here is that to the extrovert the existence of the rule is all that counts', obeying it is not important. In fact, the only rule an extreme extrovert feels applies to him is "Don't get caught". Correspondingly, extroverts say, "We need a job description for that position". Introverts then drive themselves crazy trying to go by often contradictory clauses in their job description, and make everybody mad at them for being so literal. What the introvert needs to understand is that to the extrovert the job description is only important to the job description. It has nothing whatsoever to do with how he should do the job. The introvert feels an imperative need to understand. The extrovert responds, "What's to understand, you are a jerk, that's all." for it is the extrovert's nature to attack anything which makes him feel uncomfortable, and he is very uncomfortable with anything he perceives as different such as a need to understand why things are this way or that way. Because of this the extrovert is always a chameleon. At work he wears a suit and tie, acts like an executive, at night he may go to a bar wearing jeans, tee shirt, boots, and a cut-off acting like red-neck biker in each environment he is shockingly different. This behavior is because above all what the extrovert needs is to fit in, if this fitting in requires him to assume contrary and incompatible personalities he has no problem with that. An introvert tends to perceive this behavior as that of someone who lacks integrity. In order to function and get ahead in an extrovert society the introvert must learn to mimic this behavior. Think of it as a masquerade. The epitome of a functional introvert is "The Fonz" in the old TV series "Happy Days". When he sees you Fonzerelli doesn't ask inane questions that he doesn't want answers to anyway like, "How are you?" He merely acknowledges your existence, with a gesture and an "Aay". Whether in school, or talking to your parents or in his shop dealing with a customer, or just hanging out on the street corner Fonzerelli is always the same guy, he has no need to "fit in". He doesn't tell you complicated things, not because he doesn't think complicated thoughts, but because he knows you are too stupid to understand them. He has learned to ignore bullshit rules, but not flaunt it that he is doing so. At the same time he has real, deep and personal, values that he would rather die than violate. Most introverts can relate very well to him. However, the introvert must realize that he will always be perceived as an outsider to the majority of extroverts if he chooses to act this way. Carl Jung wrote of the introvert in his volume "Psychological Types": "Casual acquaintances think him to be inconsiderate and domineering. But the better one knows him the more favorable one's judgment becomes, and his closest friends value his intimacy very highly. To outsiders he seems prickly, unapproachable, and arrogant, and sometimes soured as a result of his anti-social prejudice." This attitude, in my opinion, the introvert should realize is not his problem, but the problem of the outsider who is not interested enough to try and get to know someone whom he thinks of as different. As an introvert you will be accused again and again of cynicism. Don't let it bother you for how can a person who believes in substance react in any way other than as a cynic to an extrovert's world which is so obviously based on fakery. The introvert will also find himself often accused of interrupting, but when he examines his behavior he will find that what had transpired was he had paused in his discourse to collect his thoughts and the extrovert had seized the moment to interject his own inanity which in each and every case like this has seemingly nothing to do with the relevant conversation, but merely seems to have served to prove to the extrovert that he exists as an extrovert has no existence in his own mind if he is not making noise. So, far from interrupting the extrovert the introvert will find that the extrovert has interrupted him. Worse, he will then notice that the extrovert has not been listening to the ongoing conversation but only looking for some opportunity to interject a pointless comment with which he could seize the limelight from one who is discussing things far beyond the said extrovert's comprehension. The introvert will also find that the extroverts involved are invariably unable to discern the drollery so aptly displayed in this deliberately obfuscated article.