In his article Caring for Your Introvert (2003), Rauch dives into the topic of introversion. Despite its seeming ubiquity, this topic still breeds confusion between introverts and extroverts. Being an introvert himself, which he clearly states in the beginning, Rauch provides an insight opinion on the matter in the form of an “interview.” By using a relatively informal style and addressing the readers directly, he attempts to invoke a feeling of empathy and understanding. This implies that Rauch wanted to be heard, not as a journalist but as an introvert.
In the beginning, Rauch provides general background information about introversion. He then states that introverts are most of the time misunderstood, even oppressed. This gradation is achieved through the accordingly chosen questions, which Rauch uses to show an introvert’s perspective on different situations to explain this type of behavior. In addition, he often leaves personal, informal comments under his statements to make his writing more emotional. Rauch does what an introvert usually would never do – he thinks out loud.
Unfortunately, despite Rauch’s efforts, it does not seem like his article effectively achieves its purpose. On the one hand, any introvert who stumbles upon this reading might see himself in there, maybe even smile and laugh at some of the mentioned situations, especially if he already had a chance to experience them firsthand. On the other hand, though, Rauch wrote this article namely for extraverts, and it might seem too one-sided from their perspective. Some things, such as comparing extraverts to dog pups (Rauch, 2003), can even be considered offensive. This alone puts a lot of emphasis on the reader’s ability to accept critique, which frequently becomes an obstacle in a peaceful conflict resolution.
References
Rauch, J. (2003). Caring for your introvert. The Atlantic. Web.