Book Review: Quiet

The Power of Introverts in a World that can’t stop Talking

Don't think of introversion as something that needs to be cured

Introverts unite! Susan Cain has written the literal book on introversion and how it is vastly misunderstood, how introverts are not social abnormalities but have a certain power in their own right – a few things that extroverts cannot understand.

 It was a delightful look at how introverts are consistently underestimated in Western culture and the working world. That is not strictly true everywhere introversion or quiet contemplation is celebrated in Asia and within creative industries, Lewis Carrol and Pablo Picasso were famed creatives who liked society but didn’t actively seek it out.

Introversion isn’t ideal in certain areas, for example: Hedge fund management. Extroverts are more likely to be praised as they’ll take bigger financial risks than an introverts, who will spend a little more time weighing the risk – essentially introverts like to look before they leap. This is all due to the Western ideal of extroversion being more desirable than the quiet contemplative nature of introverts. Effectively, the West values style over substance. But what I found interesting is that the ideas that are heard the loudest come from people who are comfortable in the spotlight and everyone else will follow the most audible and, seemingly, brightest idea. However, it is noted that just because that idea was the loudest does not mean it is the best. More often than not it’s the worst one. Sometimes it shows, but confidence is key. However, one of my favourite parts of the book looked at how introverts in the 2008 financial crisis were some of the people who actually profited whilst their more risk-taking ballsy extrovert colleagues were the ones to lose money.

The contemplative nature of introverts is not bad – just because we’re quiet doesn’t mean we’re bad students or colleagues. Sometimes fear of speaking up comes from a heightened sensitivity to those around you. Susan Cain found that introverts are more in tune with the emotions of others and can pick up on microscopic shifts in body language and mood. There is also shame, if you ever read on your school report “needs to speak up more in class” chances are you’re an introvert. But what that line, according to Susan Cain, says “Why aren’t you doing X or Y”, “Why aren’t you fitting in with the class” and “Why can’t you be more like X or Y”. so, some introverts force themselves to become ‘pseudo-extroverts’ to keep the shame at bay – but it is exhausting. If like me, you’ve had to sit down in the middle of London Pride because your social battery ran out – you’ll get it.

If anything, this book spoke very loudly (ironic) to me. As someone who is quite content to read a book, play piano, write music, or just hang out by myself, I’d always assumed that I wasn’t social or bad at it. bad at being a member of society and that I should ‘get out more’. But this book frames my personality differently and explains a lot of what I went through growing up. I wish I’d read this book earlier – it’s probably the best non-fiction book I’ve read so far this year.