A couple of books

[Guest guest]

Just recently I have read a couple of books purportedly about introverts, etc. They all had good points, but some weren't worth all that much.

The first is one called "The Introverted Leader." This is one that has some good points. However, even though it says that introverts have good qualities like slowing down to analyze options and, perhaps, putting the breaks on the risk taking super-extroverts who tend to dominate business, its main advice is to become an extrovert. Speaking up is one thing, and the book does say that it can tiring, I think other business leaders need to be taught the reality extroverts tend to be bad for business. After all, just look at what has happened in the last 10 years, the last few in particular. Most of the companies that failed and still aren't getting with the program are dominated by extreme extroverts.

One that I liked more is called "Quiet." This too is about introverts but in a broader sense. It goes into the biological and brain differences between introverts and extroverts for one thing. Another is that it goes into detail about how extroverts are calling the shots now, from business, entertainment to education. For example: schools are now arranging kids' desks into pods and an increasing number of activities are group activities, the logic being that "this is what businesses do" so they prepare the kids for it. The book also states that the old ideas about group brainstorming and such aren't really good. It cites sources that show such activities tend to be run by the loudest but not usually the best. Better results come from sending people off by themselves to come up with solutions to a problem or, oddly enough, working together over the internet via chatrooms or emails.

The book talks about how business schools like Harvard Business School are dominated by extreme extroverts. Just reading about the format of that place was enough to make one tired. Some Introverts are there, but they have a hard time and are harassed in a way if they don't jump into all manner of activities. This is odd since the best performing companies are run by introverts. The book contains quotes from early last century about colleges looking to phase out the introverted student who had been the mainstay of college campuses in favor of loud and boisterous extroverts. Personally I think that is when colleges went to the dogs and wound up the rancid, partying mess they are now.

Lastly, the book points out how the West, America in particular, is extroverted while Asia is introverted. I can see that, however I think that in the US this is so simply because those who drive our culture are extreme extroverts, narcissistic and even bullying. So, as time has passed, this has gotten worse. I think a lot more introversion in our culture, especially amongst the leaders would go a long way toward improving things (and no, I don't buy for a second the notion that Obama is an introvert).

The book includes useful information, tips, etc.

The last book is "Highly Sensitive People." This one started out good but went downhill so I set it aside for a while. It started out saying that HSP's, who are often introverts, are different from others but not necessarily better. Soon after, the author spent a lot of space saying how HSP's were so much better in many ways that regular people. To an extent I agree and I agree that HSPs (and introverts) get the short end of the stick in this society) but I think the author goes a bit far.

While some tips the author gives are useful, I think some others are silly and possibly dangerous. This would the exercises to return to your earliest infant stage to "reparent" your inner child. This is supposed to help you cope with ancient memories you might not even know you had particularly of bad experiences. Freudian crap. Professional guiding people through these exercises have really messed people up and even implanted false memories. Best to stay away from that kind of thing.

Maybe I'll finish reading this one day but for now I have moved on.

In closing, even though these books are about introverts, I was hoping to find them useful for Aspies as well, since many also tend to be introverts. As stated above, yes and no. I think "Quiet" might work the best since it talks about sensory issues and explain where they come from to a degree and also has good advice. The other two, "Leader" maybe after "Quiet", "HSP" not so much.