solitude matters.and for some people,it is the air they breathe." Susan Cain,auther of
Quiet:The power of Introvert in a world that can't stop talking,firmly believes this to be true.She also believes that introverts struggle in our society because of the deep bias against them. She says that"our most important institutions,our schools and our work]laces,they are designed mostly for extroverts,and for extroverts'need for lots of stimulation."
According to cain,introverts are sensitive to overstimulation and tend to enjoy quiet,contemplative environments. They think before they speak and are usually good listeners. In contrast,extroverts tend to be socially confident and quick on their feet.
Unfortunately for introverts,modern professional and academic settings are not planned with them in mind.People are expected to behave like extroverts-chatty,confident,and charismatic.Cain emphasizes that this proves difficult for those who identify as introverts-nearly half of all
Americans-and they regularly face discrimination when they fail to act like their more outgoing counterparts.
In the competitive world we live in.Cain explains,there is pressure to stand out in a crowd. There is an expection that beind dominant will lead to success. As a result of this"Extrovert Ideal,"workplaces and classrooms nowadays are often uncomfortable for introverts,who are frequently left feeling overlooked or disrespected.Collaborative brainstorming sessions are the norm.Talkers are considered smarter. Wokers with storng"people skills"are preised,and "open plan"officers are common. While the assumtions that extrovert have better ideas or make better leaders are simply not true, introverts’s valuable contributions are nevertheless likely to go unnoticed.
Furthermore,cain contends that workplace innovation and productivity suffer when extroverts are valued more than introverts. In fact, research indicates that brainstorming in groups results in lower quality ideas, whereas there is a strong link between solitude and creativity. In general , open office plans reduce concentration, lower productivity, and make it difficult to retain good employees. “Our most important institutions are designed for extroverts. We have a waste of talent,” says cain.
Ultimately,Cain believes our society can learn a great deal from introverts. “It’s a very powerful thing to be quiet and collect your thoughts.”