Personality types: Jung's model of typology - Inner City Books

The Clinical Significance of Extraversion and Introversion 103external adjustment to the object is less—or not at all—important to him. For this reason the introvert frequently appearsas negative, "shadowy", showing himself as odd, whimsical,haughty, or even malicious.This difficulty will not be dealt with by greater awareness,and realization, but by evasion. An introvert may thus systematicallyreduce his circle of acquaintances by selection ofthe most "harmless". But he often comes up against the realityof the external world. The "malice of the object" can be hisstumbling-block: he will always have "bad luck". Even ayoung introvert may break his leg on the stairs. He could notpay attention to the stairs, but had to express his anger at thehorrible red colour of the stair carpet (with the object of beingable to say later "I don't mind what the colour is" or perhaps"I don't like this red because it doesn't suit me").Naturally it does him good to let out his affect. The emotionsubsides and he is thus, for instance, protected againstmetabolic disturbance. It is more likely that the surgeon willbe called in, although mainly for minor or only moderatelyserious interventions.At this stage of development it would seem that the spirit issatisfied but the instinct neglected. Mentally "superior", butalienated from his surroundings, the introvert comes into perpetualcollision with the world, though usually without endangeringhis life. It is perhaps possible that the introvert—inorder to remain calm and aloof from the world—breathes inan inadequate and inhibited way, and thus may become relativelyeasily susceptible to pulmonary tuberculosis.The extravert is primarily concerned with the object. Helikes to organize his object relationships. He gives himself upto them, and has anything but a "shadowy" appearance. Heoverlooks the fact that something is happening inside him,that something has been set in motion. In spite of the extravert'ssuccessful adaptation to the object, this oversight be-