From a number of sites, I have learned that while introverts are very much in the minority of the population, we make up a strong majority of the gifted population. This information comes as no surprise.
What kind of person is busy studying for fun in their spare time?
What kind of person has a personality that lends itself to deep thought?
What kind of person thinks in terms of the big picture?
Much of an extrovert’s superiority in social environments comes from thinking less. If an introvert is standing in a long line. They think: There’s thousands of people here. If everyone chose to advance themselves by any means, there would be chaos and everyone loses. I’ll continue standing here.
An extrovert thinks: I’m tired of standing in line. I will do whatever necessary to make things better for me. The extrovert wins because there is no time spent reflecting. The extrovert is lean and mean, geared for survival and unburdened by other concerns.
Introverts are disadvantaged in part because of their penchant for critical reasoning. While an introvert is busy thinking in terms of game theory, the extrovert has already gone out and played the game.
It takes an introvert to be emotionally detached from our own being, our own immediate benefit, and consider our existence in terms of the universe around us, on a larger scale, in the long term. While stopping to think in the abstract compromises our ability to compete in the big social game, only people who can think outside of the game can ever hope to change the rules or operate outside of them.
Thus, the aggressive extrovert might succeed in moving up a few hundred places in line, working themselves half to death in the process. The introvert, though far behind, has the potential to find a way to avoid the line entirely while still achieving their aims. They have the presence of mind to actually ask, “Will my aims be achieved at the end of the line? If so will it be worth it? If worth it, is there an easier way? If not worth it, why am I still in this line?”
The abstract and deep reasoning that socialites associate with rocket scientists is the default pattern of thought for an introvert. Delving into larger problems and searching for the simplest solution comes as second nature. Thus, it is a matter of course that gifted persons are largely introverts.
Poster Comment:
I think the ratio is about three-fourths extroverts and one-quarter introverts. It'd be a much better world if it was the other way around.