An Introvert in an Extrovert World

An Introvert in an Extrovert World: Essays on the Quiet Ones is a multi-disciplinary anthology about introversion in the world of extroversion. Susan Cain’s book, Quiet, recently addressed the complexities of an issue that was initially raised by Carl Jung, and this anthology expands the analysis of the challenges faced by those who are considered to be introverts – those who prefer reading to partying, listening to speaking – living in a world of people who cannot understand their quieter ways. Introverts are innovative and make significant contributions, but dislike self-promotion. They derive their energy from quiet rejuvenation, as opposed to acquiring renewed energy from being surrounded by, and interacting with, multitudes of people. That they are typically labeled “quiet” often suggests negative connotations. However, from Van Gogh’s Sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer, the contributions of the “quiet ones” have made an immeasurable and invaluable impact on our society. An Introvert in an Extrovert World contains analyses of popular culture, literature, television, film, and social media, as well as poignant personal narrative examples of the lives of these two contrasting personality types. Examples of the pain, conflict, repression, and even humor related to introversion in everyday life are manifested in this collection of articles that span the spectrum of human nature. The volume looks at the unlikely professions that the populace would attribute to the introvert: from teacher/professor and actor to politician and even gladiator. The reader is given an understanding of different characters in literary works and their connection to introversion, visits the spectrum of social media and the pluses and minuses therein, and is provided with examples of how to promote one’s writing for publication whilst being an introvert. Within the pages of this book, there are many and varied topics and intuitive insights traversing several situations that relate to the “quiet” world of introversion.