Open office concepts, high schools built with glass walls, and –dear lord- group projects. Those are recipes for a very uncomfortable introvert. Today these recipes are becoming more popular in society, which is very unfortunate for those who are introverted.
Introverted people are typically mentally over-stimulated, whereas extroverted are normally mentally under-stimulated. Introversion and extroversion are both extremes on a spectrum. Those who fall directly in the middle of the spectrum are called ambiverts. Many people can possess both introverted and extroverted qualities, or lean toward one extreme or the other.
These qualities include the common knowledge that introverts tend to avoid social interactions whereas extroverts seek them. This makes sense in terms of mental stimulation because introverts will avoid being over-stimulated in social situations and extroverts seek more stimulation.
Introverts generally avoid attention and find social situations draining. They prefer to pursue their own projects and passions alone and are content in solitude or with people they know. Extroverts crave social stimulation by being with many people, and are energized by social situations. They love attention, have a wide circle of friends, and get bored quickly.
Obviously one end of the spectrum is not better than the other; Rather society strongly favors extroversion over introversion. Society’s “ideal” personality is one that is very outgoing and social. The media shows introverts as shy and weak when it is simply not the case. It also exposes a large number of people to a subconscious bias against those who are introverted. This is very unfortunate for those who function at higher levels when in solitude. Some of the most influential and important figures in history were, in fact, introverts -- which is often overlooked in favor of extroverts.
I could go on forever about how the United States is biased towards extroverts, and how unfair it is for such a large population of people who are introverted (roughly 50 percent) that are being placed at a disadvantage. Our society would become much richer if we could tip the scales and reach a balance between introversion and extroversion in our workplaces and schools. By taking away the bias towards extroversion, and the negative connotations attached to introverts, everyone could comfortably work in their own personalized level of mental stimulation. Creativity and introverts within our society would be much less stifled.
If you are interested in learning more about the introversion/extroversion spectrum and affects of the media, then I strongly suggest you watch Susan Cain in this Ted Talks video.
