"Difficult" if they know me, "Easy-going" if they don't.
Who I am works sort of as a natural filter.
Silent - I do like speaking to people unless I absolutely have to. When someone asks of my approval, it is usually answered with a hand gesture or a nod of my head.
Assertive - When it comes down to it, I let people know how I feel. I'm brutally honest and considering I'm quiet as well most people assume I hold some sort of grudge against them.
Solitary - I hate company and I will never ask for help. At break I will often sit in the corner with my head faced to the wall.
Knowledgeable - When I'm not telling people how wrong they are I often comment in on the conversation with a intresting, little known fact. To anyone who'd listen I'd explain the creation of time.
Intimidating - As a tall man with a structured build coupled with being brutally honest as well as assertive, people tend to stammar when I speak to them. They constantly look at the ground or scratch their body. Either they project their insecurities or they come to me with a obseqious tone.
This is just people who don't know me, or haven't gained any trust. Which is everyone but like 6 people.
They perceive the way I want them to perceive me.
Usually it's easygoing and sociable but I can also play an asshole when I need to (i.e to get another asshole in my pocket).
With close friends I use a thinner mask so sometimes they think that I'm cold,even aloof and interested in the morbid/macabre & that I have a dark sense of humor but I try nonetheless to incorporate a bit of my easygoing persona so as not to worry them.
With my family I use my normal social mask but since I spend a lot of time with them they've already seen it slip like when I forget to simulate an emotion they were expecting me to have or when I get angry.
I'm not entirely sure how everyone in my family perceives me. I'm more open with them than strangers and acquaintances. I do wear a social mask with them a lot of the time, but there are also times where I do reveal my true self.
My mother seems to think I'm somewhat narcissistic, egotistical, arrogant, selfish, insensitive and outspoken. I imagine the rest of my family probably see me the same way. I'm considered the black sheep in my family.
I reveal a lot less of myself to strangers and acquaintances. So I think they just see me as polite and courteous, quiet and confident.
I have a very difficult time understanding how people perceive me. I often have no idea until someone tells me outright. The people I've talked extensively with (I wouldn't quite call them friends because I don't feel an ounce of affection or possessiveness when it comes to them) have described me as outgoing, sympathetic, generous, witty, rational, and otherwise nice. I find it flattering, but extremely surprising. My sister has told me that she's jealous of how people are drawn to me; she says people seem to like me instantly. I had no idea. I am indifferent to almost everyone and I usually assume they feel the same about me. I recently had a long drawn out talk with someone and it was absolutely exhausting. I felt the need to be away from everyone and completely withdraw into myself and I don't know, recharge. This person later sent me a gushing text about how wonderful I was and how honored they were to have my friendship. I found it somewhat flattering, but at the same time I was irritated and a bit disgusted with the person for instantly clinging when I felt nothing toward them.
As for my family, they see me as friendly and a unhinged or eccentric. My sister and stepdad have remarked that if I were to be in a relationship I would need someone who was very strong intellectually and emotionally.
By the few friends I do keep, I've been called the things already mentioned, but they've also told me that I can be intimidating and scary; I come off as someone you don't want to mess with. Lastly, friends have told me that I'm a master manipulator. And I suppose I must be either damn good or absolutely horrible because I don't even know I'm doing it.
I've only recently begun to realize that most people don't think or feel the same way I do. I haven't the faintest idea what that means, but it's made me very curious.