Introverts and Extroverts
We are always told that:
To be happy is to be sociable
To be great is to be bold
If you are sitting alone in a social gathering, it means you are sad
If you are a part of group, means you are smart, happy and fun loving
If you are quiet, it means you are shy and not bold
If you are loud and speak a lot, mingle a lot, you are a leader
Talkative people are rated as smarter, better looking as more interesting and more desirable as friends. Velocity of speech also counts as well as volume. We rank fast talkers as more competent and likable than slow ones. Voluble are considered as smarter than reticent
We see ourselves as the nation of extroverts. If you are not an introvert, you are surely managing, raising, married to or coupled with one.
There are also a set of people who pretend to be extroverts. Extroverts with their loud voice, constant communication and interaction with people, leave an impression that they are smart and intelligent. Which may be true or may not be true.
We have been born and brought up in an environment or a value system called “Extrovert Ideal” – an ideal self is gregarious and comfortable being in spot light.
Parents feel they are not providing something when they see their child sitting with books and spending time alone instead of playing or interacting in a group or staying alone for most of the times. At times they may even be resentful when they see other kids.
Even in schools, desks are arranged in such a way that group learning can take place, there are various programs, events, functions, competitions in schools and colleges to foster group work. And the one who cant fit themselves in the group, start feeling inferior and go into a shell or thinking that there is something wrong with them.
Do you know, without introverts, world would have been devoid of theory of relativity, theory of gravity, the GOOGLE, satyagraha revolution, Harry potter, Charlie Brown, W.B Yeat’s the second coming, Proust’s in search of lost time, Orwell’ s 1984 and animal farm, the cat in the hat,etc.
We would have been devoid of geniuses like Einstein, Gandhi, Newton, Roosevelt, Abraham lincoln, speakers like robin sharma, etc.
Apple computers are a brain child of an introvert!
Worlds greatest ideas, art and inventions – from theory of evolution to Van Gogh’ sunflowers to the personal computers, came from quiet and cerebral people who knew how to tune into their inner worlds and treasures to be found there.
Introversion – along with its cousins sensitivity, seriousness and shyness – is now a second class personality trait, somewhere between disappointment and a pathology. Not all introverts are shy. Do not mix up both. Shyness is fear of social gatherings and public speaking and fear or acceptance. Even extroverts can be shy.
Extroverts is an enormously appealing personality style, but we have turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us conform. Let their voice not over shadow the voice of introverts. Listen to them and you will be surprised to hear some treasures, something innovative that you would have ever come across.
If you are an introvert, reading this article, be proud to be so and know that you are equally powerful and equally important. Know that most of the world leaders are a part of you.
If you are an extrovert, know that you are missing on something from the geniuses around you. World needs you and introverts also.
Of course extroverts are also genius. Infact, Its not the extrovert or introvert that tells us who is genius, its the intellect. All we need is not judge genius in the scale of loudness, volume, social gatherings, clothings, talkativeness, loud body language, number of people surrounded by. All these factors do not co-relate in terms of being genius.
