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While working on this homework, I discovered that I am an introvert and that being one in a good thing. The word does not mean what I thought it meant. Same goes for the word extrovert. It explained things about myself that always puzzled me, like why I like to work alone.
Rouch writes from the perspective of a self-identified introvert in his article Caring for your introvert: the habits and needs of a little-understood group. The author explains that others should respond more sensitively and supportively to introverts by telling the reader how to identify them, what their needs are and that it is not their choice, but their orientation. The nature of introversion, the torment and ridicule that Rouch, and other introverts, endure during daily life are presented. He discusses, defines, and quantifies introverts in several ways. But in the end, it is the introverts' lot in life to bear the burden of having this gift and trying to find ways to be heard and improve the world.
It was the work of Carl Jung in the 1920s that identified the concept of introversion-extroversion. The definition of introversion varies. Merriam Webster defines introversion as ''the state of or tendency toward being predominantly concerned with and obtaining gratification from one's own mental life : a personality trait or style characterized by a preference for or orientation to one's own thoughts and feelings'' (Merriam-Webster, (2022). The Microsoft Bing search engine supplied a definition and states that introversion is ''the quality of being shy and reticent''. The first definition requires much thought, the second seems overly simplistic and contradicts Rouch who twice in his article says introverts are not necessarily shy. However, the ideas behind the definitions are consistent; expressing that introvert’s thoughts come before the thoughts of others. Introverts are common, comprising a minority of the general population but a majority among gifted people. PsychReel says in their article Are extroverts more common than introverts? (A Complete Guide) ''based on the results of multiple studies, we have found that the number of extroverts and introverts is roughly equal'' (2017). Several studies were discussed in an online article by Mental Health @ Home showing a roughly 50-50 split. In the same article, another study showed that of 3000 people about 17% are highly or moderately introverted and 33% are highly or moderately extroverted, and the other 40% are somewhere in the middle (Mental Health @ Home , 2019).
What is it that makes introverts stand out among all the people of the world? Rouch says in his article that science ''has even learned, by means of brain scans, that introverts process information differently from other people (I am not making this up)''. He cites no attribution for this statement other than ''science'' and intends that we take his word for it. Although this statement sounds legitimate and it may even be true, without a citation it can't be verified without additional research.
Rouch says that introversion ''is a mainstay of personality tests'' and mentions the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) as the most popular method for determining a person's personality type. This is supported by The Myers-Briggs Company which claims that it is ''used by more than 88 percent of Fortune 500 companies in 115 countries'' (The Myers-Briggs Company, n.d.). Introversion-extroversion is one of the four Myers-Briggs preference pairs identifiable with the MBTI. They say extraversion gets energy from the outer world of people and experiences and that introversion gets energy from the inner world of reflections and thoughts. Introverts are not marked by a hatred or contempt for humankind but may appear that way because they are people who find other people tiring. Oppositely, extroverts are energized by people, and don't do well when alone. They often seem bored by themselves. Rouch quotes education experts Jill D. Burruss and Lisa Kaenzig from their published studies regarding gifted learners: "It is very difficult for an extrovert to understand an introvert" (Burruss, J.D. and Kaenzig, L., (n.d.)). The reasoning for this seems to be that introverts grasp the world by taking in and digesting all they hear, and what they hear usually comes from the mouths of extroverts since they are doing most of the talking. On the other hand, extroverts only hear what other extroverts are saying while the introverts are keeping their thoughts to themselves. This seems sad and one result is that introverts feel mistreated and misunderstood by extroverts who appear to be incapable of understanding them. The worst of it is that extroverts have no idea of the torment they put introverts through. Another result is that introverts may feel isolated and oppressed during socialization because while introverts are thinking about a subject, extroverts are dominating the conversations and talking without thinking.
Several questions are presented and discussed regarding some popularly preconceived notions about introverts. Are they misunderstood, oppressed, arrogant? In addition, many ungenerous words and phrases are suggested to describe introverts, including shy, guarded, loner, reserved, taciturn, self-contained, and private. These words suggest ''emotional parsimony and smallness of personality'' (Roche, 2003). Truthfully, these descriptors can apply to any person, regardless of personality type. It is the person applying these attributes to an introvert that is exhibiting smallness of thought. A person, in general, forms an opinion about people they are meeting from their first impressions. Introverts, because they tend to be busy thinking and therefore tend to say little in social situations, may not provide enough data to that person who is formulating their first impression of the one newly met, and, not knowing he is an introvert, or even what an introvert is, will likely apply one or more of those descriptive words listed above. So, yes, they are misunderstood for reasons like the example just provided. And, yes, they are oppressed by those who misunderstand them. And arrogant? It's possible, but that is not a requirement of the introvert.
Rouch states that in the political world extroverts are overrepresented and lists George W. Bush and Bill Clinton as recent examples, yet he mentions more introvert presidents, Calvin Coolidge, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Extroverts, Rouch asserts, therefore dominate public life with the exception of acting. The author asserts that more actors are introverts than extroverts and that makes sense since actors words are usually scripted and not spontaneous. Introverts tend to think before talking, and extroverts tend to think by talking.
Today's culture makes life for an introvert uncomfortable. Introverts feel suppressed in a society dominated by extroverts that are incapable of understanding the introvert's plight. With proper treatment and support, introverts dream that someday they may be accepted as enlighteners of the world, using the cerebral value they can offer, if only others would listen. Maybe the future will get better for introverts but understand that it's just the way they are.
Burruss, J.D. and Kaenzig, L., (n.d.), Introversion: The Often Forgotten Factor Impacting the Gifted, Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary, https://education.wm.edu/centers/cfge/_documents/resources/articles/introversion.pdf
Mental Health @ Home, (2019), https://mentalhealthathome.org/2019/09/30/how-common-is-introversion/
Merriam-Webster, (2022), Merriam-Webster Incorporated. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/introversion
Microsoft Bing, (n.d.), Dictionary, https://www.bing.com/search?FORM=AFSCWH&PC=AFSC&q=introversion
The Myers-Briggs Company, (n.d.), Home page, https://www.themyersbriggs.com/en-US/Products-and-Services/Myers-Briggs
PsychReel, (2022), PsychReel, Are extroverts more common than introverts? (A Complete Guide), https://psychreel.com/are-extroverts-more-common-than-introverts/
Rauch, J. (2003, March). Caring for your introvert: the habits and needs of a little-understood group. (Personal File). The Atlantic, 291(2), 133+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A97872643/GLS?u=nhc_main&sid=bookmark- GLS&xid=0a566045
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