Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking
by Susan Cain
I just finished the audiobook and it is very insightful. I’ve read a lot about introversion and the information uncovered in her research revealed topics I had not considered. After the popularity of her book other books and articles on introversion filled the business and psychology blogosphere and book shelves.
The sections about high social monitoring was insightful personally as it helped me understand behaviors in my life. The free trait theory also explained why I manifest certain traits related to tasks I love that do not manifest at all in similar tasks with different goals. It does provide some insight about extroverts that should help introverts and extroverts understand one another. One thing that one must be careful of when reading such books is not to identify too much with the type as being a fixed part of our nature. I think of it more as a tendency and that, with certain people or under certain conditions I will act more extroverted.
I could have done without the little climate change mini-sermon (ignore Gore and we’ll “drown”) but similar tangents were few and short and didn’t distract from the core topic. Her articulation of the impact of Tony Robbins, Dale Carnegie, and the culture of personality shaping of the American extrovert culture was enlightening.
The brief mention of the extrovert focused culture on religion with megachurches and trends towards overstimulated worship was interesting and she did a hand off to Adam McHugh and his work on introversion in religion. I highly recommend it especially if you have just recently discovered your introverted characteristics.
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Rhodes Davis 