I find it interesting that introverts are uniting (separately, in their own homes, on their own blogs) to stand up for their right to be introverted, to share the value of their differences...even as we, as a society, are ever more hasty to pathologize introverted traits as being on the autism spectrum or otherwise disordered. How have we gotten to a point where introverted traits have to be defended? This is such a recent turn of history; what is now called introverted traits used to simply be the desired traits of any thoughtful citizen. We used to value and understand a range of ways that people could naturally be. The idea that everyone should want to party every weekend and find it freaky to spend time alone is a VERY new idea that in our recent history was itself pathologized as the traits of shallow frivolous parasitic dilettantes. Its so striking to me that our society is becoming much more accepting of other forms of human difference/diversity but social difference is still so stigmatized. Both my girls are introverts. I both love and am exhausted by (in equal measure) the company of other people. Im just baffled we are at a place in history when we have to reassure quiet, contemplative people that there is nothing wrong with them.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 13:36:28 +0000
Trending Topics
© 2015