Introvert Pride

If you asked any introvert to name the one thing they've appreciated the most about this new reality ushered in by the pandemic, working from home is sure to be a popular answer.  That being said, in light of the fact that Covid is beginning to recede, it's no surprise many fear this flexibility will soon be coming to an end.  It's not to say that extroverts don't value being able to work in their pajamas and binge on Netflix while crunching numbers.  But on the whole, introverts -- who are partial to written communication -- are less enthusiastic about a return to face-to-face interactions.  Because our social batteries drain more easily than those of our more extroverted counterparts, we haven't found ourselves in need of a recharge quite as often these past few years.  Sure, Teams and Zoom meetings aren't always fun, but we'll take them any day of the week over having to be present for pointless brainstorming sessions and water cooler conversations. Not o...

Being in quarantine has been a boon for many an introvert. Not only are we not forced to interact with difficult people face-to-face, but less time spent in traffic means more time to indulge our solitary interests, like writing. I'd like to think that introverts will be viewed in a far more favorable light post-pandemic, with others gaining a newfound appreciation for solitude and staying in.  Do I anticipate that this will actually come to fruition?  Nope. I predict that our extrovert-centric society will push rather fiercely to revert back to the way things were.  Many people will expect others to be elated at the thought of again being able to attend sold-out concerts and dine at jam-packed restaurants. And if you show the slightest indication that you'll actually miss being cooped up at home with your book and cat, you'll be subject to no shortage of incredulous looks from a public that feels newly liberated.   That's not to say that, once vaccines are read...