Growing up as an introvert, as I did myself, you never feel as though you are truly accepted by society. For a long time, I thought maybe there was something wrong with me, but I don’t think that’s the case (mainly because I think I’m a pretty cool person). So then what is it? Why do I feel so isolated from society? Maybe, as author Susan Cain points out in her bestselling book Quiet, it’s because “society has a cultural bias towards extroverts”. Countless studies have been done showing that extroverts are often happier than introverts, but what those studies don’t take into account is how they are measuring that happiness. Many of the studies measure happiness based on social activities and interactions with others. In high school, I that extroverts are powered from outside sources while introverts are powered by inside sources. So of course, extroverts are going to be happier when talking about social interactions, they are being powered up! Thus, when society favors extroverted behavior, introverts feel as though what they enjoy, quiet and alone time, is wrong and feel the need to change what makes them happy, ultimately leading to anxiety and self-esteem issues. I believe society needs to recognize introverts and realize that there is not only one form of happiness. Extroverts may find happiness by going out and partying while introverts find happiness by staying home and reading a nice book. We need to normalize different types of happiness in order to increase happiness. If we don’t, introverts will continue feeling as though their happiness isn’t valid. To all the introverts out there, your happiness is completely valid. Don’t try and change who you are to fit society’s messed up standards. Introverts can be happy too, in our own little way.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Indy chapter.