Craft By Zen

Curation  /  Library  /  Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Book cover for Quiet
Book cover for Quiet
Author: Susan Cain
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First Read:
Exploring introversion as a personality trait and provides insights into the strengths and needs of both introverts and extroverts. The book presents a history of how Western culture transformed from a culture of character to a culture of personality, where an "extrovert ideal" dominates.

This book was a struggle to keep on the list, but after thinking about the impact it had on me, I had to keep it on. Susan Cain talks about how one mode of thinking is not great across the entire spectrum of introverts / extroverts. In fact, most of the commonplace attitudes to think about how to collaborate, how to think, how to work are based off of the ideas of extroverts. What may work for you may not work for someone else who’s an introvert. Also, she details that most people lie on a spectrum, and not actual opposite ends. This is where I found out I’m actually an ambivert, someone who lies in the middle of the introvert / extrovert spectrum.

Update 2023-05-29

Years later, I’d meet Gretchen Rubin at a book signing, telling her I’m an ambivert. She asked if I could switch it on and off. Apparently, you can make the distinction with those who can’t. It turned out, I’m one with a switch.