[xorcist]

Why the false dichtomy? I consider myself a very social person, and I can still treasure a night at home with a cpu reference manual. I see no reason to value one over the other as they are not on the same thing.

The idea that introverts are somehow better programmers is a bit like seeing someone with glasses and expecting them to be bookworms. I understand it is a convenient social role up for grabs, but not everyone who think they are good programmers really are.

A lot of the hackers I know are very easy going and social people. We come in all shapes and sizes.

[halfcat]

Introvert-extrovert is a spectrum, not a false dichotomy. It is also a model, and certainly no one fits either archetype 100% accurately. There are people across the entire spectrum, and people who have both traits at different times. I only observed that many of the comments by those diagnosed with some form of autism seemed to be mostly on the introverted end of the spectrum, and sometimes to an extreme. It's anecdotal evidence at best, and perhaps means nothing. Just an observation.

Programming was just an illustrative example. Certainly there are programmers who are very social and extroverted. However, if you went into 1000 random night clubs on a Saturday night and polled every person, it's a safe bet that the percentage of people who would rather be at home engaged in software development would be much lower compared to a group of 100k introverts. The fact that you may not fit that description, or that you know some people who don't fit that description, is at best anecdotal evidence.

[xorcist]

Introvert-extrovert is a spectrum. The false dichotomy is that extroverts is not entertained by programming and/or other intellectual ventures.

It is simply a preconceived notion without any real evidence, much like the one that people wearing glasses is more intellectual than others.

There are good and bad programmers among both extroverts and introverts. I know a few introverts might wish things to be different, but there is simply no evidence at all for this. If you are to have an intellectual discussion about these things you have to let go of your preconceptions.