Debunking Extrovert Stereotypes
Introverts Are Celebrated and Extroverts Are Snubbed in Hong Kong
What’s true in one culture may not apply to another
This is Part Two of my series on debunking unfair stereotypes about extroverts. Here is Part One.
Extroverts are praised while introverts are made to feel bad in many Western countries.
But I see the opposite in my social circle, where introverts take pride in being themselves, while extroverts try to hide how they feel.
Many, if not most, of my friends are introverts, too. So I feel even more compelled to keep quiet about my extroversion.
Growing Up in Hong Kong and Being Confused
One reason I have such an odd experience, is because I came from Hong Kong. In my culture, introverts are seen as intelligent, studious, cultured, and deep-thinking. Extroverts are seen as immature, shallow, noisy, lazy, and other negative terms. Guess which group I wanted to associate myself with?
In fact, partly because I was quite bookish myself, and partly because I wanted others to respect me, I believed that I was an introvert.
