Why do people ask introverts, “Are you OK?” just because we aren’t yammering on all the time? Who are these people who’ve appointed themselves the facial expression police? I can be at my desk, deep in thought, maybe trying to figure out a complex formula, and someone walks by and says calls my name, shattering my thoughts. I tear myself away from my calculation and focus on their face, getting ready to respond, then here it comes: “Are you OK?” To me, if I’m not in tears or screaming or otherwise outside the norm of calm office behavior, why would anyone imply that I had the incorrect expression on my face? “Are you OK?” is what you’d say to someone who’s stumbling, weaving, or having a seizure, not to a deep-in-thought coworker who’s intently staring at her screen.
Emily Roberts is an introvert who refuses to be stigmatized and put down. She's out and she's proud, and why shouldn't she be? In a noisy, shallow world that places an absurdly high value on image, instant reaction, gossip, grooming, spin, schmoozing, negotiating and networking, those of us who function by thinking things through and just quietly getting on with it get a shoddy deal.
Thought for the day over - time to put on an appropriate face for the Expression Police:
Winston turned round abruptly. He had set his features into the expression of quiet optimism which it was advisable to wear when facing the telescreen..
1 comments:
That is an awesome idea to just go ahead and set our features into an expression that will be acceptable to everyone - THEN we can do our deep thinking. ;) But with my luck, then people will stop me and ask, "What are you smiling about?"
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