Introversion is not a disease.

I saw this chart the other day and had to respond.

As an introvert, I found this whole thing incredibly offensive. Not because the information is inaccurate (although much of it is, or at least a gross over-generalization), but because of the headline. “How to care for introverts.” Are you fucking kidding me with that condescending garbage?

Introverts do not need to be ‘cared’ for. We need to be interacted with, just like extroverts. Introversion is not a disease or an affliction. It is a completely normal way of dealing with the world.

Now, some of the advice on this list actually seems decent. But it also seems like it should apply to everyone, not just introverts. Do we really need to embarrass anyone in public? Shouldn’t we respect everyone’s privacy?

Other bits of advice seem reasonable. Teaching new skills in private and giving some time to think before expecting an answer feel spot on to me. But I imagine every introvert has different items on this list that truly resonate. To assume that all of need exactly the same things is a bit absurd.

Lastly, the whole exercise feels so damned patronizing. Seriously, we are not sick. We are not disabled. We just have a slightly different way of dealing with the world than those who are more extroverted. Can you imagine seeing a similar graphic explaining how to 'care’ for extroverts? I can’t. Because somehow extroversion is viewed as the 'right’ way to view the world.

But there is no right way. Both types bring strengths and weaknesses to an organization. And we should do our best to understand everyone.

If you need a list to do that, fine. Let’s just try to create one that doesn’t treat half of the planet like defective losers, okay?