I'm not a fan of the introvert-worship on HN and related sites- I see it used as a crutch, an excuse, a softer form of the typical claim to having Asperger's to explain how you can't talk to people. Not saying Asperger's or introversion aren't real problems, just that you can make yourself feel OK sitting inside all night by putting a label on it and talking about it on the internet.
I'm not quiet because I'm an introvert, I'm quiet because of past personal failures wherein I didn't learn social skills because I was dicking around with books and computers all day. So now I'm a loser, but at least I can admit the truth rather than wrapping it in pop-science.
(Btw, clearly the OP is not a case of this - just a related observation)
Don't confuse your own failings with introversion. Many people are happier sitting inside all night. It sounds like you're either an unpopular extrovert, or you've been so conditioned by what society expects us to be that you feel shame for doing what you want to be doing. Either way address your own issues as opposed to bashing others for some perceived notion of faking happiness.
> Not saying Asperger's or introversion aren't real problems,
Not saying Asperger's or introversion are real problems, either!
They are descriptions of a person's tendencies; a diagnosis, not a prognosis. They can be either adaptive or maladaptive, depending on circumstances.
It doesn't matter to an individual how he got that way. (It may matter to observes, as a lesson to them.) What matters more is how to make the most of your life, given your current condition, how to use what you've got to get what you want.
I'm not quiet because I'm an introvert, I'm quiet because of past personal failures wherein I didn't learn social skills because I was dicking around with books and computers all day. So now I'm a loser, but at least I can admit the truth rather than wrapping it in pop-science.
(Btw, clearly the OP is not a case of this - just a related observation)