Can being shy and having social aniexty be mistaken for arrogance?

[JasonT]

I was stopped by security yesterday because my transport/metcard wasn't validated and the guy thought i was being arrogance, i guess because i wasn't looking at him when he was talking and i kind of turned away, but only because i ws nervous and embarrassed cuz they were alot of people around, so could this be mistaken for arrogance?

btw if it wasn't that idk what i did then to make him think that because i was sort of half conscious at the time.

 

[Devrium]

I am sure some people would mistake it as arrogance because they probably are arrogant themselves and completely unaware of what is actually going on with the other person (arrogant people are very egocentric usually)... You know.. the things that we hate in other people, are usually the things that we ourselves are guilty of. I always do what you did while I am in public or in crowds. I am super paranoid about people looking at me or listening in on my conversations. I constantly look away or give off really avoidant body language. I bet everyone I have ever met thinks I am a stand offish arrogant b!tch... But I don't think you have anything to worry about. You didn't do anything wrong so I wouldn't stress over it or anything. Who cares what that security guard or whatever thought about the way you were acting? He's just a regular person like us who I'm sure is far from perfect himself. As long as you know what your true intentions were, as long as you know you weren't being arrogant (if that's what you were worried about) than that's all that matters. Really. It's a hard lesson to learn, and one that I myself rarely if ever follow... but we just have to keep in mind that what other people think about us doesn't matter as long as we feel we did the right thing, or acted in an appropriate manner to ourselves... if that makes any sense? So anyway, I just wouldn't worry if I were you ^^

 

[El_Pajaro]

I think it can be taken as arrogance...since most people would be like :-O

I had a similar occasion like this on new years eve...a police man tried to give me a citation for throwing things and being rowdy(it was new years eve everyone is rowdy!) he was talking to me telling me not to throw things anymore...I looked down and away for a second and then he reached out for my elbow to turn me around(he didnt touch me but he tried to grab me) and raised his voice at me and said IM TALKING TO YOU! i was like woah and I said to him I know! then he threatened to give me a citation and fine me. I got annoyed because he tried to grab me I thought he was getting a little caried away with me treating me like that because like I said it was new years eve and everyone was drunk and loud and throwing things but he was only telling me to stop! by the way I was throwing marshmallows...I didnt think it was necessary to treat me like I was throwing rocks or something...but maybe he thought I was being arrogant.

 

[lyricalliaisons]

Yes, people have thought that I was arrogant on numerous occasions. All I really was was scared.

 

[Rxqueen]

yea. arrogant, stuck up, b!tch. I've been called all these things when actually I was really shy and didn't wanna look ppl in the eye for fear of......idk for fear of being noticed. I really hate being around large crowds or ppl in general so when I'm around them I make an effort to avoid eye contact and pretend they're not there. I tend to be in my own little world when around large groups of ppl b/c if I wasn't I'd probably have an anxiety attack, a panic attack, or some other breakdown. It's just a coping mechanism but others don't see it that way. They just think I'm a mean b!tch....can't really do anything about it so I try to forget it.

 

[market.garden]

I find that when I fold my arms when someone is talking to me, or I'm in a social situation then people think I'm being arrogant, like I'm fed up with listening to them or something when it's just that I don't know what to do with my hands.

Maybe I should learn to juggle

 

[Scooter]

Yep I get that all the time too

 

[recluse]

I have been accused in the past of being arrogant but i'm the opposite of arrogant!

I think a lot of the time when i am walking i public i try to not appear vunerable and scared by walking tall with my head up high and i often have an angry/serious look on my face and perhaps people mistake it for arrogance. Also my anxiety makes me unable to concentrate so i perhaps appear uninterested when people talk to me.

 

[DafT]

Yup. Im sure many of the people I've met have felt that way about me. Im sure my sister's friend staying over at my house (and next door to my room) right at this moment thinks the same, cos ive been walking around the house with my eyes to the ground and answering any questions with the fewest words I can muster to get out of the situation and back to the comfort of my room.

I couldnt even sleep last night cos everything I did the day before that I thought could have been misinterpreted kept running through my mind (she's staying for 3 days ). I really need to do something about this anxiety. Sigh.

 

[Cosmotastic]

Hm, I get the feeling a lot of people think I'm arrogant. Like I think I'm too good for people. When it's the complete opposite. How ironic.

 

[static]

My mom always told me that I come across as snobby or stuck-up because I don't make eye contact or talk to people, but it's really that I'm just nervous.

 

[Falkor]

Well people never have called me arrogant, and people always ask me, are you okay? When I feel anxious, and I think people can really ''see'' it when I'm anxious. But sometimes because of anxiety I act arrogant, because I'm afraid it'll happen then it will happen. Weird huh.

 

[Kat]

I, have been called a lot of things but never arrogant. I think some people may have thought it. ::

 

[divethruhaze]

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[SPV]

Well, I would say it depends on every person. because in my class there are people who misconstrue my shy demeanour as arrogance and abruptness, I'm not sure of it though, but I can see it in their eyes that they, well, probably hate me. However, having said that, there a few who still continue to talk to me and act friendly despite me being quiet and seemingly curt..

 

[M1tCh]

It sure can.

 

[~BIG A~]

I found that as i got entered adulthood people almost always view me as arrogant. as a child and teenager everyone viewed me as extremely shy. i dont know which is better. people used to constantly patronize me, now they all hate me for being a conceited jerk. its kind of funny really.

 

[numb embryonic]

Yes It can. Somebody said once "he's up his own ass".

 

[Predacon]

Yeah I've sometimes been accused of arrogance when really it was nerves.

 

[JamesSmith]

Well we don't have a sign on our forehead that says "I have social anxiety," so there will be many people who don't know us that will assume we don't have anxiety. That security guard thought you were not looking at him just to disrespect him because that would have been the case if you weren't a shy person. He thought you were one of those people who like to disrespect authority. I've been told that I think I'm better than everyone a few times before because I don't talk to people hardly ever. Don't you just hate it when people try to tell you what you are thinking? I can't believe that some people are so full of themselves that they actually think they are psychic and know what is going through my head.