第1635期:The benefits of being an introvert

From a young age, many of us learn the benefits of being an extrovert – those gregarious individuals who always seem to be the life and soul of the party, often outspoken and able to express their opinions easily. However, not all of us are wired that way – so is being an extrovert really better?从很小的时候起，我们中的许多人就知道成为外向的人的好处——那些善于交际的人，他们似乎总是党的生命和灵魂，经常直言不讳，能够轻松表达自己的意见。然而，并不是我们所有人都是这样的——那么做一个外向的人真的更好吗？While thinking of extroverts, we imagine a character who is assertive, approachable, cheerful and charming. We are taught to admire these traits early on. Kids are often encouraged to interact, play and communicate with other children. It seems at times as though children are made to embrace a more outgoing lifestyle, with some people becoming pseudo-extroverts – introverts who mimic extrovert behaviour. While externally they may seem to enjoy the company of others, or being in the limelight, they can still become over-extended in intense social situations.在考虑外向者时，我们会想象一个自信、平易近人、开朗和迷人的角色。我们很早就被教导要欣赏这些特征。孩子们经常被鼓励与其他孩子互动、玩耍和交流。有时，孩子们似乎被迫接受一种更外向的生活方式，有些人变成了伪外向者——模仿外向行为的内向者。虽然从外表上看，他们似乎很享受与他人的陪伴，或者成为众人瞩目的焦点，但在激烈的社交场合中，他们仍然会变得过度扩张。So, while the positive aspects of being an extrovert are plain to see, what are the benefits of introversion? While extroverts thrive on social interaction, introverts are more comfortable with levels of isolation. According to Dr Berit Brogaard, a professor of philosophy, extreme solitude, such as times like the recent lockdown, does not affect introverts as much as extroverts. Lack of social contact, something extroverts thrive on, can lead to depression, loneliness, and even premature death.所以，虽然性格外向的积极方面是显而易见的，但内向的好处是什么？虽然外向的人在社交互动中茁壮成长，但内向的人更能适应孤立的程度。根据哲学教授贝里特·布罗加德博士的说法，极端孤独，例如最近的封锁，对内向者的影响不如外向者。缺乏社交联系，外向的人茁壮成长，会导致抑郁、孤独，甚至过早死亡。But it’s not just in an extreme situation that the pros of being an introvert shine through. These people seem to have more time for contemplation and introspection and thus can become more balanced. They also tend to be good listeners and think before they speak, meaning they could become great friends. Finally, introverts are often fantastic observers, as sitting out of the focus can give you more time to watch the behaviour of others.但是，性格内向的优点不仅仅在极端情况下才能发挥出来。这些人似乎有更多的时间进行沉思和反省，因此可以变得更加平衡。他们也往往是很好的倾听者，在说话之前会先思考，这意味着他们可以成为好朋友。最后，内向的人通常是出色的观察者，因为坐在焦点之外可以让你有更多的时间观察他人的行为。So, whatever your personality, either introvert or extrovert, there are clear advantages to being either, and if you meet an introvert, you might just end up with an amazing friend.所以，无论你的性格如何，无论是内向的还是外向的，两者都有明显的优势，如果你遇到内向的人，你最终可能会遇到一个了不起的朋友。词汇表gregarious 爱交际的life and soul of the party 社交场合的灵魂人物outspoken 坦率的，直率的assertive 坚定自信的approachable 平易近人的cheerful 乐观开朗的charming 迷人的trait （性格）特点encourage 鼓励interact 互动，相互交流communicate 沟通outgoing 开朗外向的mimic 模仿over-extended 吃不消，压力过大solitude 孤独contemplation 沉思introspection 反思