When people are weirdly quiet…
Hopefully, the title’s wording makes sense. Many people don’t seem to speak much and have more relaxed attitudes, based on what I’ve seen. However, from the outside, they seem natural, and their quietness does not bother them. They are sociable and attract others. Quiet people, on the other hand, can seem “off” and thus be labelled strange. If there’s one thing to remember about quiet people, it’s that your first impression of them would most likely be incorrect. Yet, if there’s one thing that society is sure of, it’s that they have quiet people under control.
We are afraid of silence as a group. The silent ones make us nervous. We want to “noise them up” (the nearest I could get to the opposite of “shut them up”), or at the very least make them feel bad for their softer-toned nature. When there’s a “quiet one” in the room, several people become uneasy. They make judging comments encircled by a question mark, such as “well, you don’t say anything, do you?” and “why are you so quiet?” as if a scheme is being hatched under the devious silence.
Nobody can understand why you’re quiet before they get to know you. If they take the liberty of asking you to be dead, they’ve effectively eliminated that choice. This has most likely happened to you, where your proclivity for space, thinking time, and the resulting external quietness has been highlighted.
Perhaps by an instructor, a manager, a coworker, or a club or organization acquaintance.
Quiet people are either nervous or rude. However, as introverts and susceptible people are well aware, the reality is much more complicated. Shyness and fear are natural feelings for everyone. We’d also be dishonest if we claimed to be involved in every discussion we’ve ever had.
Only keep in mind that the quiet ones are also the most inventive and creative. They are the keen observers who pick up on information that others miss. They coin solutions to problems which no one else can. They’ve also been responsible for some of the most exquisite works of art in human history.
In a noisy world, silence is a blessing. It’s not anything to be concerned about. Only when you have a deep understanding of an individual can you notice the variations in their quietnesses. You don’t need to point it out. If they need or want to chat, you can need to be present.
