Shyness is the fear of social disapproval or humiliation, while introversion is a preference for environments that are not overstimulating. Shyness is inherently painful; introversion is not.
Susan CainRead
Most people who have grown up introverted in this very extroverted culture of ours have had painful experiences of feeling like they are out of step with what's expected of them. Parenting can pose unique challenges for introverted parents, who fear that their own painful experiences will be repeated in their children's lives.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Introverted individuals often feel out of place in a society that values extroversion, and this can impact their parenting.
Susan Cain highlights the struggles that introverted individuals face in a predominantly extroverted society, emphasizing how their unique experiences can lead to concerns about their ability to parent effectively. Introverted parents may worry about passing on the challenges they faced growing up, which can create added pressure on them as they navigate their role in their children's lives.
Themes
IntroversionParentingSocietyChallengesExpectations
In practice
Example use cases
During a parenting workshop, when discussing the unique challenges of raising children as introverted parents.
More from Susan Cain
All quotes →We need to do teacher training to educate them about what temperament means. Shyness is painful and you want to help a child with shyness - but the underlying temperament of being a careful, sensitive person is to be honoured, valued and respected.
Susan CainRead
But when the group is literally capable of changing our perceptions, and when to stand alone is to activate primitive, powerful, and unconscious feelings of rejection, then the health of these institutions seems far more vulnerable than we think.
Susan CainRead
We don't need giant personalities to transform companies. We need leaders who build not their own egos but the institutions they run.
Susan CainRead
What if you love knowledge for its own sake, not necessarily as a blueprint to action? What if you wish there were more, not fewer reflective types in the world?
Susan CainRead
[Introverts,] the world needs you and it needs the things you carry. So I wish you the best of all possible journeys and the courage to speak softly.
Susan CainRead
Similar quotes
O men with sisters dear, O men with mothers and wives, It is not linen you 're wearing out, But human creatures' lives!
Thomas HoodRead
The solitude and peace of mind are serving me quite well, not the least of which is due to the excellent and truly enjoyable relationship with my cousin; its stability will be guaranteed by the avoidance of marriage.
Albert EinsteinRead
Improve relationships with others by assuming that they can hear everything you say about them
Stephen CoveyRead
Many adult bullies hide behind the idea that bullying happens only among children. They conceive of themselves as adults who know better and are offering their hard-earned wisdom to others. The Internet makes that sort of certainty easier to attain: looking at their screens, adult bullies rarely see the impact of their words and actions.
Maria KonnikovaRead
What is marriage but the renunciation of unchastity? The savage does not marry. Man marries because he renounces.
Swami VivekanandaRead
The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen.
Rachel Naomi RemenRead