In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so. She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. She also introduces us to successful introverts—from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.
Comment: I brought this book from the library, simply because I consider myself to be an introvert as well and was curious to see what the book would contain.
Susan Cain has compiled a set of examples of introvert and extrovert people to illustrate how introverts are actually capable, clever and ingenious, even though they are not always comfortable exposing ideas or being the center of attention. In this book, based on many case studies, the author aims to prove how being an introvert isn't necessary a negative feature, as often seems to be inferred. Thus, this book is a simple tool to demonstrate how being an introvert can be a positive element after all.
As with so many other people out there, I have always considered myself to be an introvert. I have not done well in public situations and have done my best to avoid them when I can. I went through some juggling so that I could avoid oral presentations, including missing a class to present work for another one at a time I knew not many people would attend, I have simply not done them when I could avoid them, and I have tried my best to not be at a place where others had to rely on my oral skills.
Now, in my professional life, I need to deal with public but thankfully, in a kind of contained environment, and I have learned to deal with it. But I still avoid parties, social situations where I feel I cannot control my hopes of leaving, of if I don't know people/feel comfortable with them. I am one of those who prefer to stay home, who finds excuses not to go to a social event and praise the Lord when something is cancelled.
Therefore, reading this book did settle something in me, in the sense that being like this - I also consider myself to be shy, but that is a different trait, not the focus here - doesn't have to be as negatively perceived as I have personally thought all this time. I liked the fact the author used many examples of people she worked with, or people who are famous, to establish the fact that there are ways to deal with social anxiety and the need to fit a role that is, sometimes, more like acting than genuine feelings in some contexts.
The book is divided into several chapters, all somehow focused on several ways introverts have been overlooked in detriment of the extroverts, but in reality this isn't so, because introverted people can shine in the same situations, if only we see them through a different POV. I've found the several ideas quite interesting and all of them gave me food for thought, but I must say that, considering the examples and the institutions mentioned (for studies and so on) were all, obviously in the US - since the author is north american - some things felt very geographically limited. There are some references to Asian-American individuals but that wasn't enough, I'd say.
I also kind of wanted a bit more focus on cultural aspects, which I feel weren't really given the importance I feel they merit for how introverts and extroverts might be influenced. This book did focus a lot on corporal/big companies/law behaviors and how they work. Not all situations depicted, shared seemed to be simple to compare with other settings. I guess this makes sense, f that is the author's field, but some of the guidelines used/suggested don't seem to be as easy to incorporate in a more daily life situation, so... a little too specific, it seemed.
For me, what this book benefited me the most was in reading the examples and thinking about the fact others had to deal with insecurities and issues as much as I have. Some descriptions and even genetic data seemed quite interesting and provocative. I think the author did an OK job in presenting the information and in making it matter, but not everything was always as captivating as I imagined, simply because it would include things that passed me by, to be honest.
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