On being an introvert

I happened to chance upon this book while browsing through Amazon.com:

I haven't gotten very far along the book yet, but it's proven to strike a chord with me. It starts with the premise that we live in a world and society that puts a premium on extroversion, thus making introverts seem like second-class citizens. As author Susan Cain explains:

We live with a value system that I call the Extrovert Ideal-- the omnipresent belief that the ideal self is gregarious, alpha, and comfortable in the spotlight... Introverts living under the Extrovert Ideal are like women in a man's world, discounted because of a trait that goes to the core of who they are. Extroversion is an enormously appealing personality style, but we've turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us feel we must conform.

As early as the first days in school, there is already a bias against introversion. Parents always worry about their child being a "loner" in school, and are always prodding them about making new friends. Teachers worry about the child that's playing alone in the corner and tries to encourage them to engage with other children and become more sociable. And I think that now, parents even enroll their infants in play schools precisely so they can become more sociable.

The book takes it one step further and shows that even in the corporate environment, extroverts are perceived as ideal employees:

We perceive talkers as smarter than quiet types... [and] we also see talkers as leaders. The more a person talks, the more other group members direct their attention to him, which means that he becomes increasingly powerful as a meeting goes on. It also helps to speak fast; we rate quick talkers as more capable and appealing than slow talkers.

But there is a danger to all this, as the book cites a "highly successful venture capitalist" saying:

I worry that there are people who are put in positions of authority because they're good talkers, but they don't have good ideas. It's so easy to confuse schmoozing ability with talent. Someone seems like a good presenter, easy to get along with, and those traits are rewarded. Well, why is that? They're valuable traits, but we put too much of a premium on presenting and not enough on substance and critical thinking.

The more that I read this book, the more I am learning that 1) I truly am an introvert, and 2) there is nothing wrong with that. I think it's great timing that I am reading this book while I am at this particular point in my life because eventually, I hope to discover how I can use being an introvert to my advantage.

Here's to always learning something new about the world and yourself!