It’s 2012, and we’re on the hallowed stage of one of the most popular shows made in the USA: the TED lecture series (of course, don’t take TED for « pervasive developmental disorder », but for « Technology, Entertainment and Design »). Every year, these conferences bring together the crème de la crème for a few days of intellectual safari, and have been attended by such luminaries as U2’s Bono, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, the co-founders of Google, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore. Now it’s the turn of Susan Cain, Princeton and Harvard Law graduate, author of the best-selling The Power of Discretion: Introverts in an Overly Talkative World – and self-professed introvert – to proclaim loud and clear the fruit of her observations: « Our most important institutions, our schools and our workplaces, are designed primarily for extroverts and for extroverts’ need for lots of stimulation! ».

Her aim? To reveal the resources of introverted personalities, which she believes are devalued in society in favor of extroverts. Social psychology studies to back it up. The conference has been translated into 41 languages and, as we write this, has just passed the 9 million view mark. In the wake of this XXL-successful publication, in less than two years a number of books have tiptoed onto the publishing scene:La Revanche des discrets : au royaume des bavards, les discrets sont rois by blogger Sophia Dembling, La Discrétion ou l’art de disparaître by philosopher Pierre Zaoui and La Force des introvertises, de l’avantage d’être sage dans un monde survolté by French-American clinical psychologist and co-founder of the EAT (School of Transactional Analysis) Laurie Hawkes.

Introverts, extroverts, who are you?

In 1921, Carl Gustav Jung coined the terms« introversion » and« extraversion« . The extrovert appreciates social contact, is always on the go, extremely dynamic, doesn’t like to be alone and prefers to spend his or her free time in the company of others, preferably in lively places, » explains Michel Hansenne, professor of psychology at the University of Liège and author of Psychologie de la personnalité (De Boeck, 2013, 4th col). As for the introvert [editor’s note: who would represent less than 15% of the population], it can be defined by the absence, rather than the opposite, of the characteristics of the extrovert: the introvert doesn’t seek social contact, without being uncomfortable in relationships. They tend to be quiet, reserved and let others take responsibility. Mathieu, 47, describes his introversion: « Most of the time, I prefer to keep to myself. When I’m in a group, I feel like an alien, like I’m always out of step. On the other hand, I’m very observant and particularly sensitive to my environment, which can be very useful in human relationships! Be careful not to confuse introversion with shyness, which is the fear of social judgment. Laurie Hawkes continues: « Introverts are more inward-looking, they recharge their batteries in solitude and have a lower threshold of excitability. So, while too much excitement tires the introvert, the extrovert needs his fix! And yet, pure introverts and extroverts are rare! There are above all « ambiverts  » or « ambivertis », i.e. people who stroll from one pole to the other.  » Like all other dimensions of personality, extraversion can be considered on a continuum. with extraversion on one side and introversion on the other. Most individuals are at the center of this continuum, meaning that they can act extravertly or introvertly depending on the situation, » notes Michel Hansenne.

But introverts aren’t always popular in an image-centric society where self-promotion, verbalization and dynamism are de rigueur. Many individuals climb the social ladder for their charisma and aplomb. Gone are the bookworms. Many parents send their children to nursery school to stimulate their sociability right from the start. According to researchers at the University of British Columbia, people who don’t talk much are considered less intelligent than those who do.

Is it time for extroversion, socialization and hyperstimulation? The very word introvert is said to have negative connotations, and the idea of spending the evening with an introvert is said to be no fun at all. This seeming valorization of extroversion has its origins in the American audiovisual world: « TV series influence our thinking. And the series Friends was a real turning point: the characters are roommates and spend a considerable amount of time in each other’s homes. They explode easily, throw tantrums, have few secret gardens, » says Laurie Hawkes. According to Susan Cain, it’s also rooted in industrial globalization: « We’ve moved from an agricultural economy to a corporate world (…) Instead of working with people they’ve always known, they’re now forced to be in a crowd of strangers. So it’s quite understandable that qualities such as magnetism and charisma suddenly seem very important ».

The myth of the extrovert ideal

Armed with their books and proven discretion, the authors set out to hunt down the myths. Susan Cain’s argument: the world wouldn’t be the way it is without the contributions of our beloved introverts, some of whom have changed the course of history: Eleanor Roosevelt, Gandhi, Larry Page, Chopin, Proust, Steve Wozniak, Rosa Parks, Darwin, Descartes, Einstein… A whole host of great thinkers who preferred the intimacy of their living rooms to the vivacity of worldly meals.

Susan Cain’s book takes on the air of a listing of studies and life experiences highlighting the resources of introverts. Here are a few examples. Contrary to appearances, introverts make good leaders. According to a study by Professor Adam M. Grant of the University of Pennsylvania, they achieve results similar to those of their extroverted colleagues, but with a different style: they tend to be more attentive to the initiatives of their subordinates, without seeking to impose their point of view.Open space – described by some as « open stress » –is not as beneficial as it is claimed, and is accused of interfering with concentration and individual elaboration.  » Solitude is a crucial ingredient for creativity », says Susan Cain. The stock market crash of 2008 is said to have been the result of increased risk-taking by decision-makers, which could have been avoided if more introverts had been at the helm, reputed to be calmer and more reflective, not in search of stimulation and pleasure. According to Professor Camelia Kuhnen of the Kellogg School of Management, « individuals with a variant of a serotonin-regulating gene associated with introversion and sensitivity would take 28% fewer risks than others ». « Certain professions call on the skills of introverts and require this ability to work alone: this is the case for accountants, computer scientists, writers and musicians. Strangely enough, many actors and psychologists are introverts, » explains Laurie Hawkes. Michel Hansenne, for his part, doesn’t believe that introverts are left out in the cold in our society, and considers this to be a major problem. best-seller from a completely different perspective: « Susan Cain’s analysis is naive and her sources are not scientifically rigorous! It’s true that extroverted personalities have favorable characteristics in certain situations, as they are positive, dynamic people with good social skills. But introverts are by no means on the margins of society. Extroversion, like introversion, has a particular social function, distinct in different environments. No personality psychologist is going to defend the idea that introverts are an ignored part of the population, and that extraversion is an ideal. And yet, these publications continue to appeal to the general public. Why is this so?

Laurie Hawkes points out that the collective interest in self-help books is not unprecedented, and that many people look to these books to understand what makes them suffer on a daily basis. When it comes to introversion specifically, » she continues, « we encounter this pendulum swinging back and forth: let’s say that after adoring an extroverted model, we come back a little in the other direction. Despite his introversion, Mathieu is not in their favor:« I regret that some of these publications take a communitarian turn, as if the community of introverts were responding to that of extroverts. I think this locks the reader into a category, when we should be encouraging open-mindedness and mutual understanding! A remark that intersects with Laurie Hawkes’ observations: « Following these publications, I’ve seen some regrettable reactions develop. On the web, I’ve noticed a kind of pro-introvert snobbery, the opposite excess, saying:  »We’re introverts, we’re the best » . I’ve also found that introverts are less tolerant of being expected to be sociable. »

According to Michel Hansenne, these publications are also very successful because they cultivate a « naïve, US-style media approach that shows that so-called ‘misunderstood’ introverts are now being heard ». Admittedly, they may be simplistic. But aren’t they nonetheless beneficial in the sense that they encourage the introverted reader – uncomfortable if he is – to better accept himself? A point confirmed by Michel Hansenne: « Clearly, it’s important to accept ourselves as we are, while developing sufficient self-esteem. But it’s not enough, if a person suffers or feels that their personality is preventing them from achieving certain personal goals, it may still be beneficial to modify their personality through specific interventions ».–