Introvert from the book Quiet

[Meltdown1221]

Introversion—along with its cousins sensitivity, seriousness, and shyness—is now a second-class personality trait, somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology. 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.
The Extrovert Ideal has been documented in many studies, though this research has never been grouped under a single name. Talkative people, for example, are rated as smarter, better-looking, more interesting, and more desirable as friends. Velocity of speech counts as well as volume: we rank fast talkers as more competent and likable than slow ones. The same dynamics apply in groups, where research shows that the voluble are considered smarter than the reticent—even though there’s zero correlation between the gift of gab and good ideas. Even the word introvert is stigmatized—one informal study, by psychologist Laurie Helgoe, found that introverts described their own physical appearance in vivid language (“green-blue eyes,” “exotic,” “high cheekbones”), but when asked to describe generic introverts they drew a bland and distasteful picture (“ungainly,” “neutral colors,” “skin problems”).
But we make a grave mistake to embrace the Extrovert Ideal so unthinkingly. Some of our greatest ideas, art, and inventions—from the theory of evolution to van Gogh’s sunflowers to the personal computer—came from quiet and cerebral people who knew how to tune in to their inner worlds and the treasures to be found there. Without introverts, the world would be devoid of:
the theory of gravity
the theory of relativity
W. B. Yeats’s “The Second Coming”
Chopin’s nocturnes
Proust’s In Search of Lost Time
Peter Pan
Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm
The Cat in the Hat
Charlie Brown
Schindler’s List, E.T., and Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Google
Harry Potter*

 

[jisoo69]

In the contemporary landscape, the value of introversion, coupled with traits such as sensitivity, seriousness, and shyness, finds itself relegated to a secondary status—a personality trait that hovers between disappointment and pathology. The societal preference for extroversion, often referred to as the Extrovert Ideal, mirrors a systemic bias reminiscent of women in a male-dominated world. This prejudice against introversion seems to undermine individuals based on an intrinsic aspect of their identity. While extroversion possesses undeniable charm, its elevation to an oppressive standard compels many to conform, creating a societal expectation that may not align with the true nature of individuals.

Numerous studies have shed light on the Extrovert Ideal, though the collective body of research remains dispersed without a unifying label. Talkativeness, for instance, is disproportionately associated with attributes such as intelligence, attractiveness, interestingness, and desirability as friends. The speed of speech is equally influential, with fast talkers often perceived as more competent and likable than their slower counterparts. This bias extends to group dynamics, where research suggests that those who speak more are deemed smarter, despite a lack of correlation between loquacity and the quality of ideas.

Furthermore, the term "introvert" itself carries a stigma, as revealed by psychologist Laurie Helgoe's informal study. While introverts describe themselves using vibrant language to convey unique physical attributes, their portrayal of generic introverts takes on a bland and distasteful tone, reflecting the societal biases against this personality trait. In exploring the dynamics of introversion and extroversion, it becomes evident that the prevailing Extrovert Ideal imposes a standard that not only overlooks the strengths of introverted individuals but also fosters a culture of conformity that may hinder genuine self-expression and diversity.