Susan Cain's The Power Of Introverts

What does it mean to be accepted? Acceptance plays a big role in our everyday lives. It gives us motivation and helps increase our self-esteem. It’s also provides a sense of belonging and a no judgement zone if mistakes are made which decreases the anxiety one might have. Everyone has a purpose in life and fitting in somewhere helps you identify what that purpose is.

Extroverts can be some of the best people you meet. They have plenty to offer and thrive at the attention of others. However, being introverted can be just as great. In a society where being extroverted is the ideal, it can be very difficult to be an introvert. Susan Cain argues in her Ted Talk, “The Power of Introverts”, that introverts can share many brilliant ideas with the world and should be encouraged and celebrated for who they are. While she utilizes all 3 persuasive appeals, Susan Cain most effectively uses ethos in her TED Talk to persuade her audience to encourage people to allow introverts to thrive.

The most common, widespread epidemic in adolescent is the lack of self-esteem. If a teen loses confidence, they may engage in self-destructive views. To try to combat the lack of personal confidence, Canada and other individualistic countries emphasize being unique. In the short story, The Metaphor by Budge Wilson, Charlotte lives under the rule of her stern mother. Through her mother’s criticisms, her lack of confidence, and her desire to fit in with the community, Charlotte is shown to be insecure.

In Susan Cain’s book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking she proves that introverts are vital to the world and everything typically thought of “the quiet ones” is wrong.

In the book Fahrenheit 451, we are introduced to two characters with two very different,

Most if not all people have felt some sort of exclusion at some point in their lives. These experiences can either lead us to be more of an extrovert or more of an introvert. I know from my own experience that I do not like to be excluded from things that interest me or comfort me. I cannot imagine how detrimental living in such a way for so long could be to a human being. When I first moved to this town, I felt like an outsider, I

Chapter two in the textbook Reflect & Relate an Introduction to Interpersonal Communication by Steven McCornack talks all about what “self” is and how to achieve complete fulfillment for one’s self which is also known as self-actualization. The components of self, as described in the book are, “ . . . self-awareness, self-concept, and self-esteem” (McCornack 39). Self-awareness is the idea in which one can take a moment to move feelings, beliefs, and other external influences aside and just evaluate oneself in a holistic perspective that is not skewed by opinions of others, etc. Having the ability to actually think about who one is brings a lot of power and mental stability in such a way that allows for improvement. For example,

Social isolation is a chronic psychological disorder affecting an individual’s relationship with the society. It refers to the complete or limited lack of contact between an individual and the members of the society. Both the Enock Emery and Johnny Bear’s narratives illustrate social isolation as a dominant theme.

Society believes that those who choose to stay away from others are mentally unstable, when in reality, they’re just introverted. People who avoid big crowds and strangers are often seen as weird or cynical, instead of scared or

Alice Sebold’s Lucky offers a first hand perspective of a victim’s life post her rape as a college freshman. She faces the struggle of legal proceedings following this event, as well as social rejection, and the rape of a close friend shortly after her own attacker is convicted. Through this emotionally and physically debilitating experience, Sebold is able to provide a refreshingly honest account of a subject that is often ignored. By doing this, she constructs and effectively conveys how a traumatic event can continue to negatively affect a person despite the achievements and support that come with it.

“Inherited Introversion” was Cain’s way of deceiving how exactly introversion can be gained. Susan Cain also brings in facts by stating how psychologists have believed that “...children develop a conscious when they are … rebuked by their caregivers…”. (Hartman) This “disapproval” makes children feel “anxious” then causing them to have “antisocial behavior”. (Hartman) By Cain bringing in these facts allows for her credibility of knowing how introverts work to increase greatly. Cain also brings awareness as to why and how introverts become the way they are and that it is not their fault. She also does not want to state that children don't need to be ridiculed and be allowed to do whatever they please but she is demonstrating the long lasting impression parents have on their children on what they to them and do to them. In 2012, Cain attended a TED talk to speak on her book and on introverts. There she speaks about her childhood her social life consisted of mainly reading alongside her family. She then recalls going to a summer camp and being reprimanded for not being “social and outgoing” and “...not having enough camp spirit…” because of her interest in wanting to read.(Lillie, TED Talks). By telling her experience at the camp, she demonstrates the troubles many introverts face for not being like most and wanting to always be out and talking to others. Cain explains how she felt wrong about being introverted but as time grew she learned to know that she did nothing wrong in reality and only wanted to have fun which for her was to read books. Introverts have “value” not seen as something to be ridiculed because they are unlike most.(Lillie, TED

She pinpoints how our “New Aged America” is dominated by extrovert perception and that the attributes of introvert’s cease to be remembered; especially by employers and educators as solitary activity does not hold much emphasis in these systems. She states “When it comes to creativity and leadership; we need introverts to do what they do best as a third to a half of our society is introverted.” Explaining introverts are subject to certain bias and the key to maximize the talents of introvert is not being used which is independent work and reflection. Team work, collaborating, and public speaking are all necessary in the exchanging of ideas and she does not take from that at all, but acknowledges the thought process of introverts functions better in a reflective state. Teaching methods and employer training should

Switch on, switch off, it is that simple to change from one personality to another. Once I step into that back room of my work, I am transformed into one of them. I have to become someone who my family members and friends don’t even notice; subsequently, someone who is of completely opposite characteristics. There are several reasons why I need to conform to a certain standard in order to fit into the ideal in-n-out worker.

Extroverts will likely recognize the behavior described in their friends and family, and be reminded that while extroversion certainly has much to offer, so does introversion. This is a book that intends to improve all aspects of life through appreciation of diverse skills and tendencies, a book that simultaneously calls out the flaws in our culture and shows us the way to fix them. This is a book for everyone, loud or

To get started, I would like to illustrate the concept of introverts and extroverts, and how this concept developed.