For us introverts, socializing is exhausting in a way that's very different from being physically tired or just sleepy. For me, it's a similar sort of exhaustion that comes from doing a tedious task for a long time. The kind of exhaustion you might experience if you had to write the same sentence out on a piece of paper by hand a thousand times. Wouldn't you think twice before signing up for such an experience? I often endure it because occasionally there are really fulfilling interactions and transfers of information that happen, but most of the time I find people in social situations don't want to engage their intellect at all and so the interaction is pure tedium.

Nope.

I'm an introvert, I spend the vast majority of my time with my wife. I rarely talk to others at work, and I almost never comment or interact with anyone on social media. Talking to people in any medium is exhausting.

Why isn't spending time with your wife exhausting? Is it because you can "be yourself" around your wife?

If so, maybe you should try just being yourself around other people too.

My guess would be that the exhaustion the commenter describes comes from the (perceived, and probably accurately so) need to follow certain social norms when in certain social situations. Such social norms wouldn't exist while spending time with one's wife.

What kind of commonly activated social norms are we talking about where you can get away without them around your spouse but not other people?

trying not to fart loudly

Perhaps it's time to add some more fiber to your diet, or research silent farting techniques.

You got a problem with my farts buddy?

Out of curiosity, what is exhausting about it?

On further reflection I think the biggest problem may just be complete incompatibility of interest. Most people I know want to talk about things like tv shows, sports, hunting, taxes, the latest animal video they saw, getting drunk, etc. I try to change the subject to space exploration or information theory but nobody is interested. I have to be constantly careful not to come off as nerdy or patronizing. I'm about to move from a small town in New Mexico to a postdoc at NASA JPL so I suspect I may find myself less of an introvert there :-)

Socializing online is easier for me, since I can end it under my control. walking away from an online conversation is much less jarring to the other party because it's expected that real life will intrude on the other end.

The downside is that deeper friendships take longer to form, but for this introvert, that's fine.