Just finished Susan Cain’s “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.”
I have an introverted personality, though it’s been “smoothed out” around the edges over the years. So, of course, I found the subject fascinating. Particularly interesting to me was the discussion of how modern America is geared to revolve around an extroverted personality type – such as the constant emphases on things like “networking,” “working the room,” and my favorite (least) “team player-ism.”
Rarely is it brought up that – huh, well, maybe not everybody should try to be this. Some people, indeed, are wired differently – and it’s a difference, not a defect. I’ve always remembered something (and it’s a wonder I remember anything, more about that some other time) from the university – I believe it was a sociology class, where we were told that the research showed it was the person who talked the loudest and the longest who got their way.
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Right, it did not matter what the substance of their rant was, the person in the group who talked the most and the loudest was more often followed. This, of course, has huge implications everywhere. Something to remember at your next condo board meeting? Perhaps not.
I loved that she’s able to point out the value of independent, quiet thinking and working. I’ve always thought that group efforts tend to dumb down the task at hand, often with the loudmouths prevailing, no matter the wisdom of the opinion or plan.
I recommend the book, especially if you’re an introvert or have introverted kids you’re trying to bring up in this culture.
Things I would’ve liked to see more of were any connection between introversion and substance abuse, or introversion and sexual orientation – though perhaps that’s omitted because there is no data there. Who knows? But I thought of the question.
Sitting here in Phnom Penh, Canbodia, I was thinking about the process of long-term travel like a moving meditation. You don’t really need to say much when going from place to place (in fact, somewhat ironically, every passport checkpoint is typically silent…an exchange of a passport and document with the occassional question, like, How many days are you staying in Malayasia? But even that has already been written on the embracation form).
While it does seem true the loudest and most mouthy people get their way in the short term, a quiet, knowing presence or a whisper in an ear can carry more weight when the vote comes up.
Anyway, I did come across this NYTimes article related:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/books/18silence.html?pagewanted=all
I shall use your link to put it on my Kindle.
Where you are “sounds” wonderful. And, it also reminded me that I’ve got “Into Great Silence,” the documentary made in the Grande Chartreuse monastery, on my Netflix queue. I have to admit that kind of life has always had an allure for me. – Jim