There have been many wonderful articles on the Huffington Post website over the past year or so about introverts. I’ve never seen so much written about introverts and am thankful for the attention that we’re finally getting. But, as an introvert, I don’t want too much attention. Ever since Susan Cain published her book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, introverts have received more attention and, I hope, are better understood. Additionally, introverts are feeling better about themselves as they are, rather than being compared so much to extroverts.
One of question that has occurred to me as I’ve read the Huffington Post articles is how the world might be different if introverts were in charge. First off, though, introverts wouldn’t “run” the world – they would allow the world to run itself. Sure, introverts can take charge when needed, but there’s just so much of the world that runs just fine without so many “interventions.” Introverted world leaders would likely be more reserved when it comes to inserting their countries into the affairs of other countries, which would mean fewer wars and skirmishes, and hopefully more friendship forces.
The entertainment world would likely be far different, too. There very well may be sports teams in an introverted world, but stadiums and arenas would likely be smaller since more fans would watch the game from their homes, maybe tailgating with a few friends in the living room. Conversely, art venues might be larger or better attended, as the introvert-dominated world would enjoy quietly strolling through the museum or sitting and enjoying a concert or show. And, the world of celebrities, gossip magazines and reality TV shows would be pretty sparse. There are some really wonderful possibilities that such a world could hold!
And, don’t you think that business would be far different, too? Would marketing be such a big deal? I think that there would be far less advertising in an intro-centric world. The average consumer would feel just fine about themselves, so it would be much more difficult for marketing to expose your supposed flaws and their commercial improvements for you. Somehow, though, the commercial sector would keep on going, but I don’t feel that it would be as dominant in such a world. Reduced consumerism would yield other benefits like less pollution, reduced natural resources use and so on. Conversely, though, the emphasis on collaboration in our contemporary world might not find as much traction, so some of the products that are on the market today might not be present in Intro World. The internet might be much more stark. Hmmm…
Cities – what might they be like in an intro-centric world? Would cities be as large? I’m guessing that smaller cities would be more popular. Or, maybe all of the remaining extroverts would crowd themselves into New York, Beijing and London, and leave the rest of the world for the “normal” introverts. Camping and outdoor endeavors would be even more popular, don’t you think? Would nature parks be overused since amusement parks would be less-well attended? Search-and-rescue might be a good business to be in.
Wouldn’t the world population be smaller, too, in a introverted world? The introverted couple would be content with fewer children, which, over generations, would have monumental repercussions for reproduction and population growth. Wow, an introverted world is sounding more appealing all the time, isn’t it?
The general intellect of the world would be higher, too. This “introvert-dominated” world would be more reflective and studious. We might have solved some of the world’s most complex problems by now and made fewer mistakes unleashing discoveries on the world because we’ve better thought through the consequences. Binge drinking on campuses wouldn’t a problem; binge studying might be.
Can you imagine politics in an intro-centric world? Hallelujah! Less bickering and grandstanding; more discussion and LISTENING. I’m thinking that there would be a greater recognition of our many commonalities and a greater interest in how our differences make us each special and unique contributors to society. Isn’t this a wonderful picture?
Let’s close with thinking about faith and religion in an introvert-dominated world. Faith would likely be a more inward activity, and our social celebrations of faith would be more subdued. We might even be closer to a universal faith. I would hope that there would be fewer conflicts based on religious intolerance.
I don’t know about you, but I feel a nice, warm, contented glow as I think about all of the wonderful possibilities that an introvert-centric world might hold. It’s fun to dream and it would be a wonderful world!
Thus sprach Dr. Poop, the introvert…
P.S. – here’s one of my favorite articles from the Huffington Post on the subject of introverts: Understanding Introverts in One Simple Chart Needless to say, my extremely sensitive significant other and my female progeny are delighting in the thought of buying me a hamster ball for Christmas…