There has been a lot of attention given, recently, to the needs of introverts. I think some of that is because of the popular book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain.
I read a couple reviews of the book. It sounds fairly interesting. I may try to give it a shot.
The book was released in January and since then there have been numerous articles about the book and the topic. It seems there is a growing sentiment that introverts need a little extra TLC these days.
Well, at the risk of being flogged by my reticent friends, I’d like to ask for a little equal time for us extroverts. (Ready 1, 2, 3…duck!) We need a ‘shout out’ occasionally; could use a little ‘love.’
I don’t really understand what all the concern is about for our introverted friends. They’re far more willing to judge us talkies than vice versa!
Questions to ponder:
- Who’s more willing to stick ‘foot-in-mouth’ ?
- Who is dying to have someone to talk to when we find ourselves in a room full of introverts?
- Who has more negative nicknames (gadfly, magpie, chatterbox)?
Us. US. USSSSSS!!!!
You get the picture.
They say our society is more likely to turn the reigns of leadership over to an extrovert. But for every Bill Clinton, I give you Jimmy Carter; for every Ronald Reagan, there’s a Calvin Coolidge.
One reviewer stated that introverts drive themselves crazy trying to be like extroverts. I say the same is true. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to literally force myself to be quiet when my instinct is to say “Me, too! ME, TOO!!!!”
At the end of the day, I think my point is we need both. For every push, there’s a pull; for every ying, there’s a yang. Equations balance; so do teeter-totters. And so it is with the introvert-extrovert relationship.
In a room full of us, no one can break into the conversation; in a room full of introverts, folks are more reserved about breaking the ice. But I think a nice mix is good!
At our house, the breakdown is 50/50. It works pretty well!
JG
(Source: Guardian)
Originally posted 4/27/2012
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