Introverts or: I am Lion, hear me...think?

Susan Cain : The Power of Introverts

    I recently watched Susan Cain's TED Talk about the importance of the Introvert and their needed impact on society. Having an embarrassment of resources to choose from at TED Talks, I decided to go with one that I not only found interesting, but I could also relate to.

    The essence of her speech, as well as her book Quiet : The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, is that while our modern day society and culture are built around those that are outward leading and charismatic, or extrovert, there is also plenty to be gained and learned from those of us that tend to delve within, rather than out. She asks the audience (or viewers, as it were) to spend less time constantly engaging and collaborating with one another and instead take time to ourselves to experiment in deeper thought. She goes on to argue that while many of the world's greatest leaders were extroverted and charismatic, many others such as Ghandi and Eleanor Roosevelt made large impacts to the world around us while remaining reserved and more "mellow". 

    That is not to say that she is calling for a rise of the proverbial "Meek" to take hold of their inheritance, but to highlight the importance of both co-existing with one another. There are times when you need some one to take control of a situation and "rally the troops" to achieve a goal. There are also times when it's best to refrain from such knee jerk reactions and take stock of a situation before acting out any decisions.

   Ms. Cain's speaking style, while disjointed and repetitive at times, merely speaks to the challenges that introverted people face in today's societies. It's a credit to her ability and desire to overcome these nuances so that she can share her message in a way that less natural to most other people. We may not care to engage in lots of small talk or come off as anti-social, but really we're just trying to figure how to do what we do best. Quietly. Thoughtfully. And Awesomely.