Huston Branden HenryFreshman Composition - Prompt 3S. English02/03/2014“The benefits of being alone”The first source I consulted was the episode of Susan Cain's TED talk entitled “The Power of Introverts”. In her presentation, Susan Cain talks about how she believes Western cultural society is tied to the idea that being an extrovert is less appropriate than being an extrovert in school, work, etc. In the video Susan states that, “in past history, great minds like Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt and Rosa Parks were all introverts and were important transformative leaders in society.” Cain's point here is not to attack extroverts, or claim that they are not as good as introverts. His thesis is that introverts have an important role to play in many areas of society that is often overlooked today. An example would be that introverts have a greater willingness to listen to others and their contribution makes them better leaders than is commonly known. To conclude, he added the thoughtfulness and tenacity of introverts, and their keen ability to work independently, often gives them an edge in creative endeavors such as art and scientific improvement, even in more intellectual fields such as science and engineering. In particular, Cain emphasizes how vital it is to encourage and support the introvert's strange talents and to be patient in dealing with their intimacy or familiarity. It also highlights the importance of inspiring the introvert to come out of their shell as much as possible, so that they can learn to make their opinions heard and be able to reach their full potential and contribute in a more extrovert friendly world. When I think about it, it's a little sad how society believes that working... middle of paper... or finding a way to intentionally enjoy solitude has been shown to have cognitive benefits and increased creativity. and concentration. It has also been shown that spending time alone can lead to lower rates of teenage depression. All three articles show that although being alone can be looked down upon as not socializing with others, depression, not being a team player, lacking self-esteem to be with others, not being a social person, not enjoying company or too much company and so on. There's no such thing as too much alone time for an introvert, and just because society belittles it doesn't mean it's a bad thing. In the world it is survival of the fittest, and people who can work to their full potential on their own without requiring recognition from others are more likely to succeed. Therefore, being able to enjoy extroversion can help you overcome in life.