The power of alone

I read a great review of a new book, "Quiet:: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking," today.  Here is the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/opinion/sunday/the-rise-of-the-new-groupthink.html

The author makes the case that we, as a society, have put too much emphasis on group work, team building, and collaboration. Turns out there is a lot of scientific evidence that people work best alone.  From the article, "Research strongly suggests that people are more creative when they enjoy privacy and freedom from interruption." The book's author, Susan Cain, describes how group work is now found in the workplace, in schools, even in churches where worship is public and theatrical.

Yet, many of us enjoy and thrive in an environment that is quieter, more subdued, more focused and concentrated.  We like moving at our own pace, not the pace of the group--spending more time on some problems and less on others. Interestingly, electronic communication and collaboration acts more like independent thinking than group work. The anonymity of the screen helps to recreate that sense of independence found in working alone.  We are alone together, and, in this instance, it is good thing.

I crave alone time. Taking long walks alone feels almost essential to my well-being.  I need time during the day to pursue solitude and quiet. As Cain notes, "...most humans have two contradictory impulses: we love and need one another, yet we crave privacy and autonomy."  Learning to balance those two impulses and desires is the key to happiness.