Me and a book is a party. Me and a book and a cup of coffee is an orgy.
-Robert Fripp
This is one of my favorite quotes. Robert Fripp is surely an introvert although his career has been spent in the extroverted world of rock music. I used this quote in some Myers-Briggs training I did about a year ago. There is often disagreement and even conflict among us. I hoped my training gave everyone a better idea of why we all think and act like we do. My greater hope was that people saw how our differences can complement one another rather than be a source of conflict. I am reminded of a time when I went to France and spent a week with people from twelve different countries and several different continents. It was interesting to me how the people came from different cultures and backgrounds but at a deep human level they were all the same. The vast majority of people in this world want the same things. They want to live in peace and harmony. They want to do honest work. They want to take care of their families and get along with their neighbors. They want to avoid suffering and they want to be happy. We are all human beings and we come in a variety of shapes and colors. Some of us are introverts, while others are extroverts. Some prefer to make decisions based on facts and data while some prefer to go with their intuition. Many keep our societies flowing by following our rules and laws. Some support this by making their judgments based on personal values. A whole lot of people keep us on track by ensuring things have a beginning and an end. Others go with the flow and adapt as needed. Our world cannot survive by thinking or doing things one way. Variety is the spice of life and diversity in thought makes it all work.
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