New-York tribune., 1918-06-17
Life TO the Introvert

chology,' and made quotation from some
very vivid pages in which the author,
DR.. Maurice Nicoll, contrasted what have
come to be termed the extrovert and in
trovert types. BY this is meant very
simply the type of people who take life
rather joyously and with full confidence,
and those who regard 1t with suspicion
and distrust. with the introvert," says
DR.. Nicoll,
"the assault on life does not occur nat
urally joyous impulse toward ex-
preston. While the extrovert finds life
acceptable and assumes that it is only
ftfully hostile to him. the opposite type
finds life difficult at all stages"
This contrasting attitude toward the
world makes its appearance very early
and is distinctive enough in childhood.
The 'extrovert" child needs little encour-
agement, "accepts the casual explana-
tions of the moment and seems to assume
made for it's personal enjoyment" With
the introvert child the opposite is true
"1t needs great deal Of encouragement
and very careful explanation of things"
We will even find in quite young children
a feeling that this is a bad world In a
rough sort of way these characteristics
will be preserved through life.
The extreme of this tendency to intro
version, as it is called, is where the indi-
vidual gets completely out of touch with
yno ttyy v,I 4
his own thoughts The rather dreamy
child is built good deal on this plan. In
general way the introvert prefers to
read of a thing rather than actually to
experience it. "He is capable of being
an authority on an aspect of life which
he never witnessed o. felt" DR.. Nicoll
goes on to say:
unlike the extrovert, who hides little,
the lntrovert hides everything because he
breads the exposure of his emotions.
because they are too raw and intense.
He reveals himself only to his
most intimate friends, and then only in
part He is keen and serious
critic of himself, but his M
proach to everything is critical and sus
picous
THE eXtrovert welcomes the fresher
features of existence without criticism.
the introvert looks at them from dis.
tance, obviously weighing them up,
aUeopon in hand"
How many people we know who an
swer quite sharply to this delneation!
With them, anxiety is a constant state
OF mind, fear predominant factor in
their mental attitude. But it would be
absurd to think that this type is neces-
sarlly failure. So far from that, DR..
Nlcol suggests that some of the worlds
greatest figures have been introverts.
and he cites the case of Napoleon. But
this, he says, occurs only when this tvpe
has learned it's weaknesses and balanced
Its tears Then he may be as daring
and original leader as the high tyne of
extrovert"
IT would, of course, be absurd to SUP.
gest that the whole of mankind can he
spllt promptly and arbitrarily into these
TWO widely contrasting varieties So far
from that the general run of people as
our personal intercourse daily assures
US, show every graduation from the ex-
treme OF one type to the extreme of the
other. This means that most people arc
mixed types and have a little of both
extro and intro in their makeup. But
1t is not very difficult to recoonize m
which side of the line lies the aroas+
enjoyment IN life 1t is pretty definitely
on the side of the people who don't think
700 much and are not perpetually seeing
danger signals ahead.
But one may ask, What is the practical
use of these classifcations and divisionsp
1t IS very simple, and in everyday life
extremely effective One of the greatest
men OF science used to say that per-
fectly clear statement of problem often
meant half the solution. It is the Same
IN everyday life. The extreme extro.
vert may seem blissfully oblivious of anv
tendency within his own mind toward
restraint. And yet, if he look closely, and
especially if he is we'll aided by an ad.
vlslng friend or physician, he will find
1t is there and quite capable of cult;va.
ton.
And the same with the introvert Tho
man who looks upon life and everybody
ne meets with an inborn distrust and p
suspicion of their motives, a daily fear
OF what is going to happen to him. finds
u nard to realize that these things are all
IN MS own brain and that they are beat
ing MN every day in the game in which
ne strives to excel. If he can be told, or
Detter STILL can learn to tell himself. that
ehese Tears are largely groundless and
very harmful to him he is going to get a
better grin ON himself and h. IL