People with both extroverted and introverted natures reside in every society. Ordinarily, the distinguishing thing in both the natured people is their behavioural temptation and compulsion. Introverted people tend to resort to shirking gatherings, congested places, interactions, and many other things which they consider just like a fireplace; they swelter when they go close to it, so indulgence to evade it is a reasonable thing for them. Whereas, bizarrely, they crave solitude and gravitate toward it as though a magnet attracts a metal object. Extroverted people, on the other hand, are highly leaned and inclined to attend gatherings, hangouts in large companies, interactions, and so on. What noticeably makes extroverts different from introverts is their compelling instinct to escape from solitude as it drains their energy and bores them, whereas the same thing acts differently in the case of introverts. The solitude rejuvenates them, vivifies their spirit, and helps them to recoup their lost energy. It’s exactly this distinctive nature of introverted people that leads them to rather confront challenges which include; less social space (which dwindles as a result of their irresistible urge to escape large gatherings and interactions with people), unjustified criticism, depression and stress, bullying, fewer opportunities, de-facto discriminatory behaviours, and a lot of others, than any perks and privileges which extroverts enjoy whole-heartedly. What adds up to these challenges is that people usually patronise introverts in lieu of honouring or respecting their preferences. Besides, these woes of introverts are seldom spoken about in our society, which subsequently prevents any redressal measures that can be dug out to cope with the said challenges of introverts. This piece purports to highlight these challenges which introverts face through the lens of my own story.
What noticeably makes extroverts different from introverts is their compelling instinct to escape from solitude.
As soon as I completed my bachelor’s, I began to mull over what should be done next. The choices that lay with me were either to seek a job or pursue my studies ahead and after a prolonged reckoning and consultation, I reached the decision that the latter choice was appealing and convincing for me. Having had a long desire to study at Sukkur IBA, I applied and thrived through the requisite formalities for admission. I embarked on my MBA journey with much enthusiasm at the beginning, but soon I realised the programme was not my cup of tea as it entirely hinged on the concept of a case-based approach, meaning there were only case discussions but no traditional way of delivering lectures. Being introverted by nature, I started to face challenges. Given the nature of the program, we were required to discuss cases and debate with each other, which was indeed like finding a needle in a haystack for me. A conundrum emerged due to the dearth of my class participation. I found no way out of it but to adjust myself well to an environment that was paradoxical to my nature. It was critical for me to overcome or transmogrify my nature and amplify my participation in discussions in order to get good grades.
I began to work on moulding myself to fit into this extrovert-dominated program. It’s needless to mention that I could not really thrive in this pursuit entirely as it’s a nature either of introversion or extroversion that is rigidly ingrained and embedded in every human, so uprooting the prevailing or endeavouring to radically burgeon the other one in yourself is not just an arduous thing but an inevitably unattainable thing.
Here, it is very pertinent to mention Susan Horowitz Cain, an American writer and the author of the popular non-fiction book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a world that can’t stop talking”, who said during a speech at TEDx that, unfortunately, our educational systems were designed in such a way that they befitted and appealed more to extroverts than introverts. Besides, in her book, she argues that the traits and capabilities of introverts are highly misunderstood and undervalued.
Not just in educational spaces, introverted people encounter challenges ranging from surviving to thriving in almost all walks of life. Regrettably, our society deems introversion as an ailment, perhaps because of not having much acquaintance with this natural embodied-in habituality of humans.
Furthermore, in light of my personal experience of army tests, which can illuminate and substantiate the fact that extroverted people are rendered more opportunities and priority than introverted people, I feel it pertinent to make a mention of my long-course incomplete journey. I experienced tense moments during my ISSB stay because I realised that, regardless of the nature you possess, in order to grab the attention of examiners and leave a lasting impression on them, one needed to behave like an extrovert, that is, to pretend to be talkative, interactive, and so on. Certain parameters-group discussion and lectures- are employed to gauge if a candidate possesses these attributes and prowess.
Regrettably, we as a society have a myth, rather say a misapprehension that leading roles can best be dealt with by extroverts who can fearlessly and irresistibly interact, come around, and coax people to work for them. Usually, for an authoritative post, the preference to select a candidate hinges on certain personality traits, and a priority is invariably bestowed upon an extroverted candidate.
It’s agonising to see that introverts have to struggle and bear a lot to survive, let alone thrive in our society. Most of the time, introverts encounter and withstand callous and derogatory comments. Besides, they are often compelled to endure condescending behaviours as well. People don’t understand that it’s not by choice that introverts want to remain quiet, but this thing is enshrined in their nature. These practices and behaviours towards introverts, which are unfortunately prevailing and prevalent in our society, need to be curbed and weeded out. People must realize and concede that introverted people also dwell in our societies, and they seek equal and indiscriminate treatment.
The writer is a freelance columnist.