Book Review: Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking by Susan Cain

Book Review: Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking by Susan Cain

Naturally the title of this book caught my attention.

The author, an introvert, as you might suspect, has put together some very interesting research and anecdotes; she has traced some of the rise and fall of the introvert through history and in different cultures from Rosa Parks to Lewis Carroll. (Asian cultures value introversion, whereas the American culture has a definite bias for extroversion.)  In a world where extroversion is the ideal, Cain seeks to balance the story with the wonderful attributes of introverts.

"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 cerebral people...without introverts we would be devoid of:
The theory of gravity, the theory of relativity  W.B. Yeats's "The Second Comping," Chopin's music, Proust's books, Peter Pan, Orwell's books, The Cat in the Hat, Charlie Brown, Schindler's list, Google, Harry Potter."

Susan Cain herself managed to make it as a successful lawyer on Wall Street despite her dislike of the spotlight and of aggression. (Though eventually she left Wall Street because it wasn't a good fit.)

One of the biggest problems of following the extrovert ideal is that people tend to follow extroverts assuming that because they are the loudest and most charismatic they must have the best ideas. But alas tis not so: "He has terrible business sense but great leadership skills, and everyone is following him down the road to ruin."

I read this book over many months so I have forgotten some of the most interesting research and tidbits. I do recommend at least the first half of this book that recounts the studies about introversion and the trends. The second half of the book had a bit too much on encouraging introverted children, etc.

One thing I remember is that introversion is present at birth. One study took infants (or very young children, I can't remember) and played loud noises, balloons, popping sounds, music etc. About a third of the children visibly reacted to the sounds, another third had little reaction. The introverts were the ones sensitive to the disturbance whereas the extroverts could easily cope with whatever the situation--"Hey no big deal!" Extroverts are just not as sensitive to emotional and physical traumas, so they are willing to take more risks in many areas of life. The introversion/extroversion persona continued into adulthood.

Another interesting tidbit was about Eleanor Roosevelt. Usually one thinks of her as a somewhat dowdy, though deeply intelligent, non sexual partner of the president. It was certainly not always that way. Theodore fell very deeply in love with Eleanor. "Many told Eleanor that Franklin wasn't good enough for her. Some saw him as a lightweight, a mediocre scholar, a frivolous man-about-town. . . . Eleanor did not lack for admirers who appreciated her gravitas. Some of her suitors wrote grudging letters of congratulations to Franklin when he won her hand. "I have more respect and admiration for Eleanor than any girl I have ever met," one letter-writer said. "You are might lucky. Your future wife is such as it is the privilege of few men to have," said another.

And of course the book has a bias toward introversion. "It may also help explain why [introverts] are so bored by small talk. If you're thinking in more complicated ways, then talking about the weather or where you went for the holidays is not quite as interesting as talking about values or morality."

One of the funniest things in the book was the description of the Harvard Business School. Truly seemed to be a frightening place with wrong-headed ideas on what makes a good leader being forced on students, who apparently play the part with gusto. I have been planning on going over to the business school when I am visiting Mary just to sit and watch the students to see if they are truly as driven and groomed as the author paints them to be.

Anyway, this is a good read and I recommend it.