What makes an introvert an introvert? We can skip some of
involved definitions and tell you three things to look for that are a dead giveaway: living in an inner world, being territorial and a strong aversion to environmental stimulants, such as noise. In an age where cell phones are proliferating, noise pollution is becoming a serious ill to many introverts. Too much noise can affect our peace of mind and our emotional and physiological well being, causing serious stress related problems such as irritability, chronic fatigue syndrome and premature aging.Here is a statement made by Sara-Ann, an introvert in her late twenties who responded to one of polls on IntrovertZCoach website. Sara-Ann says, “When I was a kid, I liked to run around outside when there were too many people in house (like T.V. was on and someone was cooking in kitchen and there was lots of noise). I often played by myself in my room while listening to classical music on my transistor radio starting at about 4 years old.”
Sara-Ann is giving preferences few people would believe could come from a 4 year old but that is because “few people” are introverts. 70% of people in America are extroverts and have little knowledge of how offensive noise and other environmental pollutants are to those with whom they share planet (30% introverts).
Those brightly lit, noisy shopping malls, loud and crowded cruise ships, movie theaters with wrap around sound and network gatherings in hundreds are designed to stimulate and thrill extroverts but are deadly to peace of mind and physical well being of introverts who gasp for breath, grab their aching heads and sometimes even head for bathroom with an upset stomach … often beating themselves up in process wondering why they “can’t have fun”.
Let’s learn more about introversion so we can support ourselves in avoiding crowds, lights and noise without feeling bad about it. In shared public space introverts don’t expect to dominate tonal experience of majority – or at least we have no hopes of it – but we can learn to make informed choices and we can also learn not to apologize for ourselves.
Sometimes we can even learn to ask that exhibitionist on cell phone to “Please, shhhhh! You’re talking too loud”!
I was amazed to find this essay several weeks ago written most likely around 1800 (!) by German philosopher Arnold Schopenhauer. Before your eyes glaze over, let me assure you it’s message is succinct and cogent two hundred years later in New Millennium.
One of Germany’s greatest philosophers begins by saying that “banging and hammering and general noise-making has been a daily torment” to him all his life. “There are people,” he says, “who are insensitive to noise, but these are same people who are insensitive to argument, ideas, to poetry and works of art, in short to intellectual impressions of every kind” because of their “tough constitution” and “firm texture” of their brain. It’s pretty obvious to me he’s describing difference between introverts and extroverts and doing this very nicely.
Schopenhauer also explains that other writers have had same problem. He mentions Kant, Goethe and several others not well known today. I myself have a quote from Goethe which says, "My greatest wealth is deep stillness in which I strive and grow and win what world cannot take from me with fire or sword."
Schopenhauer continues by describing how disruptive it is when a racket occurs. Some introverts on my Sparrow Retreat Introverts Forum have described neighbors using snow blowers at 1:30 in morning, hot tub parties til break of dawn with screaming and explicit language, working on cars over weekend with radios blaring, squawking PA systems and, most inappropriately of all, cell phones invading every bit of privacy we have left.
