At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the
ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who innovate
and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own
over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled "quiet," it
is to introverts that we owe many of the great contributions to
society--from van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal
computer.
Passionately argued, impressively researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people,
Quiet shows
how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in
doing so. Taking the reader on a journey from Dale Carnegie’s birthplace
to Harvard Business School, from a Tony Robbins seminar to an
evangelical mega-church, Susan Cain charts the rise of the Extrovert
Ideal in the twentieth century and explores its far-reaching effects.
She talks to Asian-American students who feel alienated from the brash,
backslapping atmosphere of American schools. She questions the dominant
values of American business culture, where forced collaboration can
stand in the way of innovation, and where the leadership potential of
introverts is often overlooked. And she draws on cutting-edge research
in psychology and neuroscience to reveal the surprising differences
between extroverts and introverts.
Perhaps most inspiring, she
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. Finally, she
offers invaluable advice on everything from how to better negotiate
differences in introvert-extrovert relationships to how to empower an
introverted child to when it makes sense to be a "pretend extrovert."
This
extraordinary book has the power to permanently change how we see
introverts and, equally important, how introverts see themselves.
As a future educator, I cannot express how thankful I am fro Susan Cain to express all the frustrations I felt as a child growing up in an extroverted world. I found myself pretending to be an extravert, so I would be able to fit in with society. Even in college, I found myself constantly being someone I really wasn't so that no one would think me as a quiet, and not socialable.
Even my violin teacher labeled me as unfriendly because I was quiet and not as talkative. Her recommendation ruined my opportunity to get into Governor's School, a prestigious summer program that is very important in the state of Virginia.
This book really helped me overcome the hurt I felt from all the teachers who just didn't understand the world of introverts.
