Would you rather be in a room full of people all talking about how brilliant you are, or in an empty room by yourself?

[Oricolt]

I would choose the empty room every time.

Apparently it's a 'test' to see how introverted or extroverted someone is.

The reason I'm posting is because I am struggling to believe anyone would choose the room full of people. Am I wrong and blinkered?

Empty for sure!

Empty room 100%. This is why I did not want any speeches at my wedding. Well, there was a best man speech directed at how great the groom is. I really did not want anything about myself.

The empty room

I'm not sure I could bear to be around anyone who would prefer to be in the full room

I would happy be in a jam packed room full of people milling around making conversation about every subject under the sun. But if they were directing their chat towards complimenting me, I’d make a swift escape.
I can accept the odd comment about looking nice but anything more would make me cringe.

I love socialising but I also love coming back to my empty flat and relishing the peace

Latter. I wouldn’t believe the first and the mouse would be extremely annoying after a few minutes. I’m not very introverted at all. In fact I think my gregarious son who makes a new friend every time he leaves his house would probably also choose the latter!

I don’t even have to think about it….. empty room every time. Surely being in a room full of people all talking about your brilliance would be exhausting. You quite literally would not have a moment to think.

Really? Because the former sounds like a nightmare and the second sounds blissful to me

Empty room, without a doubt.

I can't bear people giving me compliments bar a quick 'that's a nice dress' or 'well done this is really good'. Any more than that makes me want to turn myself inside out. No idea what to do with my face, but whatever I do will be wrong.

I actually changed the subject during my last appraisal to something not about me because I was so uncomfortable with a conversation where I was the subject and being told I was doing well! 😂

Me too!

If I’ve done something amazing and praiseworthy, then, yes, why not bask in the glory. But if I didn’t feel I deserved the adulation, then, no, absolutely give me the empty room!

I'm quite introvert but I like the idea of lots of people telling me how great I am, as long as they're people i want to be around 😁

Compliments aside, I spend almost all of every working day in a smallish room with 30 people. I quite like being in quiet places when I'm not at work!

Similarly I’m struggling to understand why anyone wouldn’t want to hear a load of people saying how brilliant they are. I wouldn’t say I’m a classic extrovert either, I get sick of socialising after a while and like being alone. But I have a lot of admirable qualities and it gives me great pleasure when other people recognise them and tell me so.

That makes me cringe to my core

I struggle to imagine the first room. It would be really weird. I'd like to go in and be a fly on the wall for five minutes, but I wouldn't want everyone looking at me.

After five minutes (OK, ten), I'd go into the second room for some peace and quiet.

Full room I think, but it would be awkward if it went on for too long. If it was natural e.g. it started as a weird gathering for people to say how much they like me but could then have the conversation evolve, I think it would be nice?

I generally think spending time in the company of people who genuinely like you is one of the most fantastic things in the entire world. I don't especially want to sit and receive loads of praise from people because that would be uncomfortable, but if I could just hang out with everyone who likes me after they'd each given their bit of a speech I'd probably enjoy myself.

Also I would only like the full room if I am allowed to interact with the people. The description does make it sound a bit like you are some kind of ghost at your own funeral. If it was like that I wouldn't like it and would choose the empty room. (Though honestly who am I kidding, I would absolutely haunt my own funeral to listen to what people say about me when I'm not there!)

This is interesting because I have always felt more extroverted than introverted, although I do tend to need to "recharge" after social interaction. TBH I feel like lockdown and then the return to socialising afterwards showed that there's no clear dividing line between introverts/extroverts anyway, but that everyone has a limit on how much solitude they can stand (I absolutely reached mine far earlier than DH who would have been happy to continue lockdown indefinitely, and continued WFH for 3 years) and how much socialising they can manage before they need to retreat. I don't think these are binary things that people have or don't have. Everyone has both, the difference is just where your limit is.

Here's another question - would you like to be one of the people giving compliments (not to me - to someone you personally find great IRL) or not? Why or why not?

Ok I have to confess I have once or twice been in a room of people saying how brilliant I am. It was for hard won professional achievements. I loved it frankly.
I also like public speaking, which I understand most people hate. I do it as part of my job.

I wouldn't want it at my wedding or birthday. Just for professional achievements.

I am a classic extrovert but would choose the empty room every time!
I am even picturing it - flooded with spring sunlight through a big window. Just happily lying on the floor or with my legs up the wall relaxing. Nobody asking me for snacks. No exploding inbox to answer. HEAVEN. 😍

OP, YANBU to wonder who would choose the full room, it just sounds cringe and stressful.

This.
And could there be a sofa and a box of chocolates in the empty room please.

I reckon out of my DC DS2 would choose the empty room like a shot and DS3 would choose the full room like a shot.

Can't be sure which room DS1 would prefer. He is 17 though and is giving me whiplash with this discovering himself by trying out multiple opposing identities phase.

Neither sound great.

Room 1 for a max of 10 minutes, room 2 for a full 24 hours afterwards to recover!
I don’t struggle too much with the compliments but that many people would kill my social battery very quickly

Full room. I love being looked at, and I never get tired of extravagant compliments. I'd be bored rigid in a large group of people within 10 minutes if I wasn't the centre of attention though.

Can I have the room full of people, but make them dogs? I would love that.

Empty room, every time.

I hate praise. It's uncomfortable and I usually assume it's not genuine.