The character Pigpen in the Charlie Brown comic strip is the little guy who is, except for rare occasions, very dirty.
In his first in-print appearance, he stated, “I haven’t got a name . . . People just call me things . . . Real insulting things.” Sometimes I feel this is almost the way with introverts; people call us things and sometime insult us. But we can take lessons from Pig-Pen.
Pig-Pen gets dirty just walking in a snowstorm. The dust clouds stay with him for all but a few of the briefest of periods.
If you are under an illusion that you are shy, aloof or even anti-social, then you are walking around in a snowstorm, which keeps you from being all that you are.
The dust cloud around you distorts your vision, both of yourself and others, and it needn’t be that way.
Let the snow melt! Let it stop landing on you.
He doesn’t try to explain it, hide it, or fight it. Pig-Pen is mostly right: stop hiding and stop fighting.
As introverts it is however sometimes worthwhile to explain ourselves to others. If they try to coax our shyness out of us, let’s explain to them, it’s not a shy issue. If they ask us why we are so quiet, let’s tell them we need time to think. Then let’s use that time to listen more.
Decide where the line is for you – to fight it or explain it. Use your strength to get quiet inside and then take action.
Even in a Halloween costume, everyone knows he’s Pig-Pen, since under it is a cloud of dust. What’s the point in pretending we want to be the life of the party? That puts undue stress on us and in the end serves no one well. You don’t need the Halloween costume.
Like introverts trying to act like extroverts, it does us little good personally when we try to be like extroverts.
We can absolutely learn the social skills we need and want to learn.
Let’s honor ourselves by doing what we need to so we feel and act our best. And when you do put on that Halloween costume, make sure it’s for fun.
On rare occasions, like once to impress a maybe heartthrob Violet, Pig-Pen showed up clean but unrecognizable. Being awarded twice, a Networker of the Year award by a local women’s organization, it’s likely someone might draw the conclusion that – I go and yap, yap, yap about myself, collecting as many business cards as people once collected baseball cards, attend a networking event every night, and more. I’m not out to impress anyone in this way. Besides, whom does that impress?
What keeps me recognizable is – an other focus. Focusing on how either my my connections can help someone else or if they might need some other resources.Then, how my work might be useful to someone. I connect others to whom they want to meet even when I arrive and leave early. Oh yeah, I’m recognizable, in my introvert way.
Let’s stop walking around in a cloudy dust of misinterpretations about ourselves. Introverts have many strengths those clouds are hiding.
[Tweet “People may call #introverts things and sometime insult us. But we can take lessons from Pig-Pen.”]
As Pig-Pen might say, “I have affixed to me the dust and dirt of countless ages…who am I to disturb history?”
Let’s make some history introverts.
What are your clouds of dust?
How are you handling them?
animated gifs from https://giphy.com/
Originally posted JANUARY 1, 2010.
OK. That one is good. Humor, moral, imagery: you have the formula for impact…in an introverted way. 🙂
Good point: “..it is however sometimes worthwhile to explain ourselves to others.”
Sometimes it takes effort to explain ourselves rather than move on to the next task missing the opportunity to improve understanding. I fall into this myself at times. Other times courage and chrisma well up and I rise to the occasion. The trick is not to change instantly, but to call up courage more often this week than last.
BumperSticker:”Hard work pays off in the long run— Laziness pays off now.”
What is unsaid is what payoff is being measured.
LOL. It’s good to know that introverts have humor. We don’t need to keep that a secret!
It’s sad that introverts should have to explain themselves but it is probably often a good idea. If not you may be classed as shy, strange, unfriendly or whatever. Have learnt a lot of what it’s like for introverts from you and would hence take into consideration that a person might be introvert instead of believing he/she is shy, unfriendly or whatever.
Catarina the operative word in introverts explaining themselves is, sometimes. I find for me, rather than get defensive about someone saying, “well aren’t YOU the quiet one today?” or “how come you aren’t speaking up?” and a whole lot more, that I’ve helped the other person often understand both me and someone else in their life! It’s a triple win!
I love the analogy with Pig Pen. It really is so fitting because you are who you are even if you’re trying to be someone else. I think when people are quick to judge, it can be really insulting. But I think the most extroverted extroverts need to feel connected with others to feel fulfilled. And when they come across an introvert who takes time to form connections, they get thrown off because they don’t understand why they are not connecting. So then they label and judge. Really great article in self-acceptance as an introvert.
Erica it’s now so tiring for me to use the label because – I don’t think of many things as introvert/extrovert. I just think of this difference as one of many ways we differ. Sigh. Still, as in your perfect daily example, it’s often wise to break down the label to ease up on the judging. Thanks so much for your insightful comment.
I was so enticed to learn what happens in the end. Great spin off to learn more about introverts, likewise I like how you advocated the need to just “be.”
I’m with you – stop hiding!
I really enjoyed this post. It’s best to be ourselves.. I like the line, “Let’s honor ourselves by doing what we need to so we feel and act our best.” I think I am somewhere between an introvert and an extrovert, leaning more to introversion. I am one of those people that may need to think about something before responding. I learned that I sometimes had to let people know I was thinking so they realized I was still engaged and interested.
Thanks Donna. The truth is, most of us ARE in between the spectrum of introvert/extrovert. In one way I love that so many people are talking about the differences and how to make them work better in our world and in another way I dislike that so many people are talking about the differences often creating more of a divide. Sigh.
Years ago, when I was a mere 50 years old, I met this lady who was 70. She impressed me a lot with the statement – I can now wear purple. No more being bound to what others considered appropriate. Now that I’m 70 myself I feel the same way. I no longer have to explain myself to others. Even though I love Pig Pen, I was thinking more about Popeye – I am what I am.
So introvert or extrovert, there is a place in this world for all of us. When the introverts are quiet it just means the extroverts have a greater opportunity to be front and centre. Everybody wins..
Nicely summarized, Lenie, when you said, “I no longer have to explain myself to others.” Neither introverts or extroverts need to do this when we accept our differences.
Yep, the “shy” thing is a real hot button for me, but mostly I’m able to just let it go. There was a time when I had to draw a very big line in the sand though. At the last hotel I worked for my office space was next to the door of the marketing manager. Later the offices were remodeled to give each manager our own office but initially it was a high traffic thoroughfare and that made it a real challenge for me to think. Eventually I learned to get into my zone and block everyone out but that didn’t sit very well with my boss who thought that because I didn’t engage with her every single time she walked past my desk I was being disrespectful.
Ironically, just as this issue was about to boil over we all had to go through the Myers Briggs Personality Assessment. Our facilitator was marvelous and in our sessions the issue between bossie and me came up and our facilitator explained the realities of life for an Introvert to her and believe it or not she never said another word!
Marquita the timing of life situations should always be as good as what it was for you and your boss. Sounds like the facilitator was actually facilitating! And that is always a good thing in corporate training.
Yep…happens all the time. Especially for those of us who are not outwardly shy, but need to withdraw. I get involved in those “It’s not you, it’s me” conversations that can prove exhausting!
So much confusion around shy and need to withdraw for more introverted Jacqueline. At least many are able to talk about it now.
Great post! I thought your post was profound. I read this one to my introvert daughter. After I was finished, she asked me “Who is Pig-Pen?” =/ I had to explain who he was in Charlie Brown. Then, she said, “that make sense.” That’s for helping me spark a conversation with her. =)
Makes me laugh Sabrina: first having to explain who Pig-Pen is! To end up getting to the heart of the “be yourself” even as more of an introvert point.
As I read this I was thinking about how for many introverts, wearing a costume is an uncomfortable experience because ulitmately a costume is a vehicle to call attention to yourself. Maybe you can tackle that issue next Halloween.
Thanks for the idea to the pros and cons of wearing a costume idea Ken. Good one!
Oh I loved your comparison to Pig Pen and the great cartoons to go along with it. I bet kids today have no clue who that even is. It is difficult to have to explain your self as an introvert, but much harder going through life faking it, trying to be something you are not. That’s never fun or easy.
Oh boy am I sooo happy you mentioned the gifs Susan! Originally I wasn’t sure I was going to use them so uploaded to media both jpg and gif. Then not checking to see they worked I forgot to give credit to giphy.com – will go back and do that momentarily. Thanks.
Hi Patricia,
What an inspiring and powerful post!!!
Pig Pen definitely was a great example of shaking off the areas in our lives that are holding us back from being all that we can be.
It’s funny that I happened to read this article this morning because my wife and I were just talking about this issue. I’m an extrovert, but depending on the environment and the circumstances I can have some introvert tendencies at first.
It’s about comfort zone for me and getting my groove.
I think that’s true of us all, it’s just some have the ability to do that much easier than others.
Have a great end to your week Patricia!!!
~ Don Purdum
Wow Don – now YOU with a “good timing” kind of comment on the comparison of Pig-Pen, introverts and in general, letting ourselves be ourselves. Thanks.
Pig Pen has always been one of my favorite Peanuts characters, and now even more so! I think everyone can relate to feeling like a cloud of dust is following them around. But as you said, it’s more a question of what you’ll do with your cloud. Love the ghost costume!
Ghost costume one of many for Pig-Pen Meredith! Thanks for your insights!
I love this post. By coincidence, my husband and I watched a Peanust old special last night and there was Pig Pen and his dirty ghost costume. We all need to be who we are and not pretend to be something else. Unfortunately life and business don’t always allow that, but at least with our friends…
Beth the coincidence of you watching an old Peanuts special! Too funny. ‘Tis the season.
Oh, Pig-Pen, probably my favourite Charlie Brown character because we can all relate to him! There are so many layers to this character. Is it really a cloud of dirt that he drags around or is it an analogy for something greater, like grief, guilt, depression or some other less tangible handicap? Perhaps he likes his cloud, because he can hide under it. So many possibilities. For sure, the most interesting of the Charlie Brown characters!
Krystyna, thanks for the most descriptive word of dragging around all those negative (often self-inflicted) labels. Handicap says it, doesn’t it?
I guess I’m a little late for Halloween, but I just love the Charlie Brown characters. We’re such mix-up creatures who very often just ,”Get in our own way”. We make silly assumptions about other people like, how they expect us to act on social occasions. I don’t know if it has any thing to do with being an introvert or extrovert, I jus think it’s human nature. The thing is what others connect to is our humanistic qualities, the vulnerabilities we all have. Who can relate to someone who has it, “ALL together”? We recognize ourselves in others.
Never too late for any holiday Pamela! That’s how I think anyway.
I do think it can extend across any personality type, as you say, “getting in our own way.”