Susan Cain, the author of Quiet and the TED Talk speaker of the Power of Introverts, has commented our current western society overly prizes extroversion. At schools, kids starting Kindergarten are already expected to act as committee members, doing constant group work, even in subjects like math and creative writing.  In workplaces, introverts are routinely passed over for leadership positions. The quiet surface of the introverts has given them disadvantages and the introverts are often perceived as lacking of soft skills.

By pointing this book out, I am not trying to negate the importance of speaking skills and collaboration. But Susan Cain has raised some good questions. Do we have to be constantly speaking and collaborating? Being introverted or extroverted is just one of our personality traits, and when has our personality become far more important than our character, which includes traits that take longer to puzzle out, like integrity and kindness? 

As Susan Cain clarifies, introversion is not equivalent to shyness or not liking people. Although some introverts tend to be shyer or get nervous easier, some other introverts just simply prefer solitary thinking and individual work. The psychologists use the level of brain reactivity to external stimulations to measure how introverted or extroverted a person is. The introverts tend to react more to the external stimulations, hence they tend to avoid these stimulations and be content with solitude; whereas the extroverts tend to react less to the external stimulations, therefore they tend to be gratified from socializing and interacting with others.

But solitude is often “a crucial ingredient to creativity”. Einstein said, “… in order to attain any definite goal, it is imperative that one person do the thinking and the demanding.” Because of the nature of the introverts, they tend to have a very active and creative mind. In her book, Susan Cain showcased many research findings and examples to demonstrate introverts can also become great leaders in their fields, like Ghandi, Emily Carr, and Bill Gates.

Please understand Susan Cain is not trying to make any generalization here – she is not saying the introverts are always creative or the extroverts are not as creative. She’s only saying our personality shouldn’t be judged. Our society needs a balance. We need both extroverts and introverts. We need people who are assertive, charismatic, and influential. We also need people who can endure the solitude in the process of serious researches and creation that can lead to greater discoveries and success.

That being said, I have to say that, in today’s society, no matter how creative an idea is, without properly presenting it, it won’t create much impact. So we introverts need to find strategies to cope with today’s speaking challenge! Come to look for more resources at the library!