Book Review: Quiet, by Susan Cain

 Quiet Book Review

Quiet is about introverts and how they participate in the modern world. Susan Cain, an introvert herself, says that being an introvert can be looked down upon in a society that idealizes extroverts, but actually has many advantages. Introverts require less social stimulation because they have more dopamine in their brains already, so they tend to avoid too much socialization or other activities that cause overstimulation in their brains. Extroverts, on the other hand, have less dopamine in their brain and require more social stimulation so that they can function at their optimal level.

Cain argues that our culture should be more accepting of introverts because they have just as much to bring to the table. For example, many companies are missing out on ideas from their introvert employees because the CEOs and managers do not spend enough time listening to what the introverts have to say. Introverts often spend more time thinking and contemplating problems rather than blurting out quick responses because that is the way they function naturally. Their extra contemplation is what this world needs because a world run solely by extroverts making quick decisions can be catastrophic. We need to listen to the people in our society who are not social butterflies because they can often bring new perspectives to the problems we face in our world. 

If you feel you are an introvert I would recommend you read this book. It is very empowering to hear that there are other people who are just as shy as you and that you are actually normal! I would also recommend this book to an extrovert because there are many things that extroverts are missing from the introverts in this world. Whether you like it or not, our society tends to favor the extrovert ideal. Reading this book is the first step we can take to change the way our society is structured so we can have a better world tomorrow.