Quiet: the power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking
27th Mar 2012; 13:00
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RSA Keynote
Our society rewards the extrovert, the assertive, the charismatic and the vocal. But as many as one third of us are introverts. For years, this entire section of the population has been told that the very foundation of their personality is a character flaw. As a result, the introvert has become the eternal underdog, and most of us are taught to repress, not nurture, our introverted tendencies.Why do we place so much value on volume? And what if we’ve been wrong all along?
Susan Cain, author of a ground-breaking new book: 'Quiet: the power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking', visits the RSA to explain how society misunderstands and undervalues introverts, and how the extrovert bias affects our lives, from the financial crisis to the myth of charismatic leadership in business; from the way we work (job postings asking for “outgoing” personalities, open plan offices, and the ubiquitous “brainstorm”), to the way we raise and educate our children.
Join us for this special event when Susan Cain will be in conversation with Jon Ronson, journalist, humourist and documentary maker.
Suggested hashtag for Twitter users: #RSAquiet
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