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A review by jjp723
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
5.0
How often does a book make you feel that it is ok to be you? If the answer is never and you are an introvert, here you go! I enjoyed this one so much - I finally understand that there are basic biology-related reasons that I feel and act the way I do - and that I'm not the only person in the world who can hide their introverted nature while out in public while longing to just go home, sit outside and read. So much emphasis is placed on having huge groups of friends, of loving loud events and group everything (can't a person just enjoy lunch alone once in a while??). I loved the fact that I am not alone in my love of ideas and thinking and having a rich inner life. Just so much good insight and understanding in this book. Definitely recommended for everyone, both intro- and extroverts.
*It's not always so easy, it turns out, to identify your core personal projects. And it can be especially tough for introverts, who have spend so much of their lives conforming to extroverted norms that by the time they choose a career, or a calling, it feels perfectly normal to ignore their own preferences. They may be uncomfortable in law school or nursing school or in the marketing department, but no more so than they were back in middle school or summer camp.*
*...We all write our life stories as if we were novelists, McAdams believes, with beginnings, conflicts, turning points, and endings. And the way we charcterize our past setbacks profoundly influences how satisfied we are with our current lives. Unhappy people tend to see setbacks as contaminants that ruined an otherwise good thing ("I was never the same again after my wife left me"), while generative adults see them as blessings in disguise ("The divorce was the most painful thing that ever happened to me, but I'm so much happier with my new wife"). Those who live the most fully realized lives - giving back to their families, societies, and ultimately themselves - tend to find meaning in their obstacles. In a sense, McAdams has breathed new life into one of the great insights of Western mythology: that where we stumble is where our treasure lies.*
*It's not always so easy, it turns out, to identify your core personal projects. And it can be especially tough for introverts, who have spend so much of their lives conforming to extroverted norms that by the time they choose a career, or a calling, it feels perfectly normal to ignore their own preferences. They may be uncomfortable in law school or nursing school or in the marketing department, but no more so than they were back in middle school or summer camp.*
*...We all write our life stories as if we were novelists, McAdams believes, with beginnings, conflicts, turning points, and endings. And the way we charcterize our past setbacks profoundly influences how satisfied we are with our current lives. Unhappy people tend to see setbacks as contaminants that ruined an otherwise good thing ("I was never the same again after my wife left me"), while generative adults see them as blessings in disguise ("The divorce was the most painful thing that ever happened to me, but I'm so much happier with my new wife"). Those who live the most fully realized lives - giving back to their families, societies, and ultimately themselves - tend to find meaning in their obstacles. In a sense, McAdams has breathed new life into one of the great insights of Western mythology: that where we stumble is where our treasure lies.*