Introverts create more value for society

By Gordon Lightfoot

導讀:性格內向，其實并不是一件壞事，事實上，內向的人還能為社會創造更多的價值。

Speak up!Put yourself out there!American society generally places high value on being friendly and speaking freely.That can worry introverts.Introverts are people who tend to be more private and favor individual activities over social ones.

Susan Cain,an introvert herself,is an expert on the subject.She has become the voice of these quiet people.In 2012,her book, “Quiet:The Power of the Introvert in a World that Can’t Stop Talking”,was a success.

In her new book,“Quiet Power:The Secret Strengths of Introverts”,Cain takes her hopeful message about introverts to teenagers.She says her goal is to help parents and teachers understand their introvert teens and develop their secret power.

Introverted children are not necessarily shy.In fact,they can have excellent social skills.They just tend to enjoy being alone,doing quieter things or being with just one friend at a time.Susan Cain says that is how introverts get their energy.Their human“batteries” are actually weakened by loud,busy activities.“If you imagine an introvert going to a party where they’re having a good time.At the end of two hours,you kind of start to wish you were home in your pajamas because your battery is running low.Whereas for extroverts in the exact same situation,their batteries are getting recharged.So they kind of want more time at the party.This has everything to do with how we’re wired;how our nervous systems react to stimulation.”Cain says the idea that extroverts are more successful than introverts is widespread but wrong.

說話！逼著自己說話！美國社會通常很看重與人為善和言論自由。這讓內向的人很擔心。內向的人通常更喜歡獨來獨往，與社會活動相比更喜歡自己活動。

蘇珊就是一個內向的人，同時也是這方面專家。她已經成為說出內向者心聲的人。她2012年出版的書《安靜:內向性格的競爭力》大獲成功。

在她的這本新書中，她向青少年講述了內向型格的優勢。她說她的目標是幫助父母和老師理解內向型格的孩子，并助力發展他們的秘密潛能。

孩子性格內向并不代表他們害羞。事實上，他們可能有卓越的社交技能。他們只是表現出更愿意自己待著、安靜做事或者一次只和一個朋友在一起。蘇珊說，這是內向性格的人獲得能量的方式。他們的能量“電池”會因為參與吵鬧繁忙的活動而被削弱。“試想一個內向性格的人去參加派對。兩個小時的派對接近尾聲時，你可能開始希望你已經穿著睡衣在家了，因為你的能量值已經極低。而同樣的情況對于外向的人來說卻是一種充電的狀態。所以他們希望能在派對上度過更多的時光。這就與他們的電路體系組成有關，與我們神經系統對刺激的反應有關”。蘇珊說，有一種普遍的觀點認為外向性格的人要比內向性格的人更加成功，這種觀點是錯誤的。

“如果我們環顧四周，會發現內向性格的人以不同方式對人類文化做出貢獻，比如比爾·蓋茨、J.K.羅琳、蘇斯博士等，能說得上數的都是內向型格的人。”蘇珊說，這些人之所以對社會貢獻有佳就是因為他們沉靜的性格。不過蘇珊這種觀點并不廣為接受。蘇珊說，美國社會迫使每個人都以群居方式來社交，即便有些人的天性并非如此。蘇珊說，其實內向性格的人數量之多遠超乎人們的想象。

“If you look around,you see introverts contributing to this culture in all kinds of ways,people like Bill Gates and J.K Rowling and Dr.Seuss—any number of people you could name who are introverts.”Cain says these people add much to society because of their quiet temperament.But some how this ideais not widely accepted.The author says American society pushes everyone to be gregarious even if it is not natural for them.Cain says there are more introverts than people think.

“You’re talking about 1 in every 2 or 3 people.That’s in the U.S.But then there are other studies that look comparatively at the world and find that the U.S.is on the more extrovert side of the spectrum.So there are probably more introverts in other countries.”

Susan Cain spoke with hundreds of teens,parents and teachers to explore introversion among teens.One of herimportant findings is that introverts can be effective leaders.

“For example,there was one guywe profiled named Davis,who decided he wanted to run for president of his class.He was running against one of the most popular,social girls in the school who ran on a platform of more parties for everyone.Davis was his characteristic,serious-minded,introverted self,and did a lot of deep thinking about how he can make the school a better place.So he ran on a serious substantive platform of proposals and his classmates really recognized the value of that and ended up voting for him,and he became the class president.”

In her book,Cain gives advice to parents and teachers.She tells parents that introverts usually want to come home at the end of the day and spend time alone.She says they need to recharge their batteries.She says they should not be pushed into after-school activities.

For teachers,she says,introverted students might not succeed in large study groups.“By their nature they prefer to learn independently and autonomously.They don’t want to be learning calculus in a group.They want to be putting their heads down,and thinking a problem through.”

Susan Cain,author of“Quiet Power:The Secret Strengths of Introverts”,says what she wants young readers to take away from her book is that being introverted is not something to outgrow.It is something to accept,develop and treasure.

“估計內向性格的人,兩三個人中就有一個吧。這就是美國人的普遍觀點。但其實同一時期在世界上的其他國家也有類似的研究，可以發現美國更贊成人類外向性格的屬性。其實可能其他國家內向的人數更多。”

蘇珊曾與成百上千的青少年、父母、老師交談，以探究孩子身上的內向性格因素。她有一個重要發現：內向性格的人能成為更有影響力的領導人。

“比如，有一個叫戴維斯的人想要競選班長。他的競爭對手是全校最受歡迎、社交能力最強的女生。戴維斯是典型的沉思內向型性格，他深入地思考了怎樣能讓學校變得更好。于是他站上講臺，提出倡議和方案，讓他的同學們意識到如果將票投給他會有怎樣的效果。于是最后他成了班長。”

蘇珊的書也給家長和老師提出了建議。她告訴家長，內向性格的孩子通常在上完一天的課后更愿意自己待在家。她說，他們這樣做是為了給自己重新充電。她說父母不應該強迫他們去參加課外活動。

蘇珊給老師的建議是，內向性格的孩子在團體學習中可能成績不突出。“因為他們的性格使他們更愿意獨立自主地學習。他們不喜歡以小組形式學習微積分。他們更想要低頭沉思問題。”

蘇珊的書《安靜:內向性格的競爭力》想讓年輕人明白，內向性格不是什么壞事。內向性格應該為人所接受、培養并珍惜。