By: Michael Petrany There is a curious disease that seems to afflict Western civilization, at least in recent times. It has infected almost every stratum of society, from the corporate boardroom to the kindergarten class. Far more educated people than myself have referred to it as the “extrovert ideal” — that is, a societal expectation that extroversion is the norm and that properly functioning human beings should be outspoken, assertive and the life of the party. More introverted persons can be labeled as antisocial, lacking confidence or held back by their “inhibitions.” And this ideal is, I contend, a big … Continue reading Introversion: a salve for today’s social world