When a quiet introvert talks, heads turn, and that's power.

America is a noisy culture, unlike, say, Finland, which values silence. Individualism, dominant in the U.S. and Germany, promotes the direct, fast-paced style of communication associated with extraversion. Collectivistic societies, such as those in East Asia, value privacy and restraint, qualities more characteristic of introverts.

If the extrovert is trying to "cheer up" the introvert - extroverts are programmed to seek social rewards! - he or she may feel like a failure if the introvert remains unmoved.

When an introvert is quiet, don't assume he is depressed, snobbish or socially deficient.

Though introverts are drained by interaction, we can take immense pleasure in watching the scene around us.

Introvert conversations are like jazz, where each player gets to solo for a nice stretch before the other player comes in and does his solo. And like jazz, once we get going, we can play all night. Extrovert conversations are more like tennis matches, where thoughts are batted back and forth, and players need to be ready to respond. Introverts get winded pretty quickly.

Introverts paradoxically pull away from culture and create culture.