The Power of Introverts: A Manifesto for Quiet Brilliance

Note, the words "Introvert" and "Extrovert" should die. It's like talking about "fatties" and "anorexics". Most people are normal. Introversion (or it's opposite, extroversion) is more or less normally distributed, unlike the bimodal distribution suggested by using polar terms.<p>"Male" and "Female" are examples of bimodal attributes, for which it can be pragmatic to pretend there's only two extremes. Even then, the folk who don't fit so well in either category warrant a special mention.<p>Spare a thought for the normal people who don't have 200 real friends (and 20,000 Facebook friends); or live alone in their mother's basement. (Not that introverts necessarily have no friends, which is a whole new can of misconceptions brought on by Myers-Briggs, as explained by Cosmopolitan in the mid-80s).

This topic is always popular here on HN. A pain point even.<p><a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=561311" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=561311</a><p><a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2657554" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2657554</a><p><a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2345552" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2345552</a><p>However most of these submissions do not sit well with me as they try to glorify introversion as some sort of superpower or an exclusive club, and contain a hefty dose of ego stroking.

I am an introvert male and one book that really helped me be assertive, certain, spontaneous, and happy in the social arena is "No more Mr Nice Guy" by Robert Glover. Highly recommended!<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/No-More-Mr-Nice-Guy/dp/0762415339" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/No-More-Mr-Nice-Guy/dp/0762415339</a><p>I have the audiobook version and it's one of few audiobooks that I've listened to more than once.<p>I also have a mindmap of the book if anyone wants it.

I'm an introvert. [1] Additionally, I cannot concentrate in a noisy, distracting environment. I was told -- ad nauseum -- this was my "problem" and that I needed to accommodate and "adapt" to the noise around me. Ultimately, after several decades of doing my best to do so, I burned out -- hard.<p>Now, "the press" is telling us that "introversion" is good. If it was more than lip service to the latest trend -- fad -- I might be encouraged. But I doubt very much that it is.<p>In my mind, all these "introverts rule" articles can fuck off and die. Because it's just not true. The world is full of loudmouthed, bullying assholes. And the worst part is when they manage to turn you against yourself.<p>If you are an introvert. If you need peace and quiet to concentrate. The best thing is NOT to support those who try to stuff you into a cube, or who blast the stereo at all hours because "college is a party".<p>Get away, so that you can think. And keep in mind that they will step on you and use you if they can. So, don't let them. Be kind to yourself. And to your friends. And to those who truly respect you. But fuck the "touchy feely" propaganda from the media.<p>1. I get along just fine with people -- in fact, I'm often considered quite "nice" and people seem to enjoy spending time with me, particularly if they and the setting are not overwhelmingly aggressive. I enjoy spending time with them, too. So, I'm not asocial.

Here's the full article without page breaks: <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-power-of-introverts&#38;print=true" rel="nofollow">http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-power-o...</a>

Great article! This is definitely something that I had always thought about. The extroverted bias is definitely something that should be rethought. In my experience, I feel much more productive working alone rather than in groups. It allows me to work at my own pace. In working alone, I can keep my assumptions in my head, and have a full understanding of what my tasks are and what needs to be done to be completed. I feel my preference for this work style comes off as closed off, but having worked in different environments I know this way yields the best results for me. Working too often in groups gives a false sense of unanimity, where differing approaches are suppressed. I've also seen decisions be dragged on much longer than it really should take.

The article only touches briefly on the flaws of brainstorming and group work, but there was a recent article in the New Yorker by Jonah Lehrer that delved deeper into this issue and some of the research behind it. (unfortunately only available to subscribers <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/01/30/120130fa_fact_lehrer" rel="nofollow">http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/01/30/120130fa_fact_...</a>) Surprisingly there is decent amount of research indicating that brainstorming is actually less productive than everyone thinks, however the article diverges slightly and explores the history of a few places like Building 20 at MIT where many people from different backgrounds were forced to mix due to the adhoc nature of the offices, etc. Of course I think he referenced another HN favorite, Richard Hamming's classic "You and your research."<p>It seems that balancing "quiet brilliance" and "keeping your door open" is probably something worth keeping in mind.

I read a book by another female author that suggested the same theme as this article: The Introvert Advantage - How To Thrive In An Extroverted World by Marti Olsen Laney.<p>A nice read overall and made me aware of many obvious but often went explained why introverts behave they way they are.

This article gives corporate "brainstorming" sessions the what-for, with some justification. However, there are some great ways to run brainstorming sessions to help mitigate the shortcomings cited in this article.<p>One of my favorites is the de Bono hats: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Thinking_Hats" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Thinking_Hats</a><p>By setting rules and depersonalizing interactions ("That wasn't me criticizing, that was the black hat talking!"), you can get productive, creative thought in groups that might not be possible at the individual level.

Emphasis on the "quiet". Be quiet about how smart you think you are; you're probably wrong anyway.