Susan Cain’s (2012) TED talk provides a lot of new insights into the process of communication in general and how introverts and extroverts interact with the world in particular. First of all, her story feels very personal and passionate. Talking about her experiences and life stories, Cain (2012) reveals her emotions to the audience. However, it is precisely such a sincere approach that makes it possible to feel the words she conveys and analyze them more deeply. Her expressions leave a more profound impression, drawing more attention to the topic.
Secondly, the perspective shown by the author is somewhat unique and daring, especially for an introvert. Cain (2012) tries, through the perspective of her own experience, to demonstrate the mistakes that introverts and extroverts make due to social stereotypes. Her speech has many examples that show how a commanding, extroverted type of thinking is imposed on people, although it is not suitable for everyone. Ultimately, this does not benefit individuals or society since they are forced to adapt to the stereotypes to succeed. An example of this is working in open spaces, which can be highly exhausting for introverts due to the sheer amount of social interactions (Cain, 2012). These examples and reasoning allowed me to get a new perspective on the process of relationships between people with different types of personalities. It is necessary to understand other people’s needs and not impose one common standard. Moreover, there is a need to look for compromise solutions that take into account the strengths of all participants in the process.
In addition, the author highlighted another critical thought regarding what each person holds inside themself. Cain (2012) used the metaphor of a suitcase in which one can store various items. This metaphor demonstrates how often people keep their interests and desires within themselves. Incredibly often, this is done by introverts, and this idea seems to me highly relatable in this context. It is much more difficult for introverts to open up and share their inner being with the world. However, as Cain (2012) points out, this must be done because the world needs sincerity and the hidden desires of a person. From my perspective, this is a fundamental idea that can be applied in interpersonal interactions to establish stronger contacts. Moreover, using strengths rather than shaping the needs of society against personal aspirations will allow an individual to provide and develop much better communication.
Reference
Cain, S. (2012). The power of introverts [Video]. TED.