By Gordon Lightfoot

導(dǎo)讀:性格內(nèi)向，其實(shí)并不是一件壞事，事實(shí)上，內(nèi)向的人還能為社會創(chuàng)造更多的價(jià)值。

Speak up!Put yourself out there!American society generally places high value on being friendly and speaking freely.That can worry introverts.Introverts are people who tend to be more private and favor individual activities over social ones.

Susan Cain,an introvert herself,is an expert on the subject.She has become the voice of these quiet people.In 2012,her book, “Quiet:The Power of the Introvert in a World that Can’t Stop Talking”,was a success.

In her new book,“Quiet Power:The Secret Strengths of Introverts”,Cain takes her hopeful message about introverts to teenagers.She says her goal is to help parents and teachers understand their introvert teens and develop their secret power.

Introverted children are not necessarily shy.In fact,they can have excellent social skills.They just tend to enjoy being alone,doing quieter things or being with just one friend at a time.Susan Cain says that is how introverts get their energy.Their human“batteries” are actually weakened by loud,busy activities.“If you imagine an introvert going to a party where they’re having a good time.At the end of two hours,you kind of start to wish you were home in your pajamas because your battery is running low.Whereas for extroverts in the exact same situation,their batteries are getting recharged.So they kind of want more time at the party.This has everything to do with how we’re wired;how our nervous systems react to stimulation.”Cain says the idea that extroverts are more successful than introverts is widespread but wrong.

說話！逼著自己說話！美國社會通常很看重與人為善和言論自由。這讓內(nèi)向的人很擔(dān)心。內(nèi)向的人通常更喜歡獨(dú)來獨(dú)往，與社會活動相比更喜歡自己活動。

蘇珊就是一個(gè)內(nèi)向的人，同時(shí)也是這方面專家。她已經(jīng)成為說出內(nèi)向者心聲的人。她2012年出版的書《安靜:內(nèi)向性格的競爭力》大獲成功。

在她的這本新書中，她向青少年講述了內(nèi)向型格的優(yōu)勢。她說她的目標(biāo)是幫助父母和老師理解內(nèi)向型格的孩子，并助力發(fā)展他們的秘密潛能。

孩子性格內(nèi)向并不代表他們害羞。事實(shí)上，他們可能有卓越的社交技能。他們只是表現(xiàn)出更愿意自己待著、安靜做事或者一次只和一個(gè)朋友在一起。蘇珊說，這是內(nèi)向性格的人獲得能量的方式。他們的能量“電池”會因?yàn)閰⑴c吵鬧繁忙的活動而被削弱?！霸囅胍粋€(gè)內(nèi)向性格的人去參加派對。兩個(gè)小時(shí)的派對接近尾聲時(shí)，你可能開始希望你已經(jīng)穿著睡衣在家了，因?yàn)槟愕哪芰恐狄呀?jīng)極低。而同樣的情況對于外向的人來說卻是一種充電的狀態(tài)。所以他們希望能在派對上度過更多的時(shí)光。這就與他們的電路體系組成有關(guān)，與我們神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)對刺激的反應(yīng)有關(guān)”。蘇珊說，有一種普遍的觀點(diǎn)認(rèn)為外向性格的人要比內(nèi)向性格的人更加成功，這種觀點(diǎn)是錯(cuò)誤的。

“如果我們環(huán)顧四周，會發(fā)現(xiàn)內(nèi)向性格的人以不同方式對人類文化做出貢獻(xiàn)，比如比爾·蓋茨、J.K.羅琳、蘇斯博士等，能說得上數(shù)的都是內(nèi)向型格的人?！碧K珊說，這些人之所以對社會貢獻(xiàn)有佳就是因?yàn)樗麄兂领o的性格。不過蘇珊這種觀點(diǎn)并不廣為接受。蘇珊說，美國社會迫使每個(gè)人都以群居方式來社交，即便有些人的天性并非如此。蘇珊說，其實(shí)內(nèi)向性格的人數(shù)量之多遠(yuǎn)超乎人們的想象。

“If you look around,you see introverts contributing to this culture in all kinds of ways,people like Bill Gates and J.K Rowling and Dr.Seuss—any number of people you could name who are introverts.”Cain says these people add much to society because of their quiet temperament.But some how this ideais not widely accepted.The author says American society pushes everyone to be gregarious even if it is not natural for them.Cain says there are more introverts than people think.

“You’re talking about 1 in every 2 or 3 people.That’s in the U.S.But then there are other studies that look comparatively at the world and find that the U.S.is on the more extrovert side of the spectrum.So there are probably more introverts in other countries.”

Susan Cain spoke with hundreds of teens,parents and teachers to explore introversion among teens.One of herimportant findings is that introverts can be effective leaders.

“For example,there was one guywe profiled named Davis,who decided he wanted to run for president of his class.He was running against one of the most popular,social girls in the school who ran on a platform of more parties for everyone.Davis was his characteristic,serious-minded,introverted self,and did a lot of deep thinking about how he can make the school a better place.So he ran on a serious substantive platform of proposals and his classmates really recognized the value of that and ended up voting for him,and he became the class president.”

In her book,Cain gives advice to parents and teachers.She tells parents that introverts usually want to come home at the end of the day and spend time alone.She says they need to recharge their batteries.She says they should not be pushed into after-school activities.

For teachers,she says,introverted students might not succeed in large study groups.“By their nature they prefer to learn independently and autonomously.They don’t want to be learning calculus in a group.They want to be putting their heads down,and thinking a problem through.”

Susan Cain,author of“Quiet Power:The Secret Strengths of Introverts”,says what she wants young readers to take away from her book is that being introverted is not something to outgrow.It is something to accept,develop and treasure.

“估計(jì)內(nèi)向性格的人,兩三個(gè)人中就有一個(gè)吧。這就是美國人的普遍觀點(diǎn)。但其實(shí)同一時(shí)期在世界上的其他國家也有類似的研究，可以發(fā)現(xiàn)美國更贊成人類外向性格的屬性。其實(shí)可能其他國家內(nèi)向的人數(shù)更多?！?/p>

蘇珊曾與成百上千的青少年、父母、老師交談，以探究孩子身上的內(nèi)向性格因素。她有一個(gè)重要發(fā)現(xiàn)：內(nèi)向性格的人能成為更有影響力的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人。

“比如，有一個(gè)叫戴維斯的人想要競選班長。他的競爭對手是全校最受歡迎、社交能力最強(qiáng)的女生。戴維斯是典型的沉思內(nèi)向型性格，他深入地思考了怎樣能讓學(xué)校變得更好。于是他站上講臺，提出倡議和方案，讓他的同學(xué)們意識到如果將票投給他會有怎樣的效果。于是最后他成了班長。”

蘇珊的書也給家長和老師提出了建議。她告訴家長，內(nèi)向性格的孩子通常在上完一天的課后更愿意自己待在家。她說，他們這樣做是為了給自己重新充電。她說父母不應(yīng)該強(qiáng)迫他們?nèi)⒓诱n外活動。

蘇珊給老師的建議是，內(nèi)向性格的孩子在團(tuán)體學(xué)習(xí)中可能成績不突出?！耙?yàn)樗麄兊男愿袷顾麄兏敢猹?dú)立自主地學(xué)習(xí)。他們不喜歡以小組形式學(xué)習(xí)微積分。他們更想要低頭沉思問題。”

蘇珊的書《安靜:內(nèi)向性格的競爭力》想讓年輕人明白，內(nèi)向性格不是什么壞事。內(nèi)向性格應(yīng)該為人所接受、培養(yǎng)并珍惜。