Introversion Expert Susan Cain at TED 2012
TED 2012 is here! Actually it looks like the final sessions will be wrapping up this evening, but the videos are just starting to be released. For those who have never heard about TED, it is a “genius conference” where luminaries from the fields of technology, entertainment, and design discuss their groundbreaking achievements and ideas. The tag-line of TED is “ideas worth spreading” and the 18 minute “TED Talks” are released free to the world.
I’m looking forward to hearing the talks from a number of speakers. Neuroscientist Steven Pinker was on the slate this year. Reggie Watts performed some of his unique brand of live music, can’t wait to hear what he came up with. Also, psychologist Jonathan Haidt spoke about some of the themes in his new book about divisions of morality in politics and religion. I await all of these talks with bated breath, but today they released a video from one of the speakers that I am most interested in, Susan Cain. A few months ago Susan wrote a great article in the New York Times that I commented on earlier and she recently published an outstanding book called Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. Without any further ado, here is Susan Cain at TED:
Posted on March 2, 2012, in Introversion, Psychology, TED and tagged books, Introversion, introvert, personality, psychology, Susan Cain, TED. Bookmark the permalink. 5 Comments.
Scientific Awakening 
I literally just watched this talk half an hour ago! I was initially drawn to the title because it refers to my kind of lifestyle, and I was very much impressed with what she had to say. I feel a little bit better about myself now :p
Yeah, it’s not very often you see someone taking a stand for introverts. Her book is a great read, check it out if you get a chance.
Interesting topic! The extrovert gets power by social interaction, the introvert gets power by solitude.
I read some time ago the book “Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength” (L. Helgoe) and was amazed by the estimation of some 40-50 % of introverts in our society and how many try to extrovert in order to adhere to social rules.
I’ll check what Cain says – the gist of the discussion for me is the call for more solitude. We are flooded everyday by emails/messages/calls while we (also the extroverts!) would do good to take more “offline” time.
Yes and I think it’s also important that we acknowledge as a society that it is OK to set aside time for solitude and that this is not wasted time.
nice! thanks!