The following Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson and is narrated by Tina Lehman.

The personality factor. What does introversion or extroversion do for well-being?

Sometimes it seems like this world is built for extroverts. The most successful politicians,

entertainers, and public figures are, or at least come off as, extroverts. One of the big five

personality traits we use to judge and praise people is extroversion. One of the big five personality traits we use to judge and praise people is

extroversion. Introversion falsely assumed as simply the lack of extroversion doesn't merit mention.

Certain studies suggest that extroverts make more money than introverts on average.

Extroverts tend to be happier than introverts, regardless of the

cultural context. Introverts are more likely to suffer from depression and asthma. On paper,

it seems like extroversion is the clear evolutionary winner. It makes you happier, wealthier,

and even healthier, maybe. It's selected for in many of the most public

spheres, like entertainment and politics. So why has introversion been so well preserved?

Why do introverts, by most accounts, still comprise at least 25% of the population? If you could

construct the perfect human to innovate, explore, and

conquer the world, understand and capitalize on its natural laws, and create powerful technology,

you'd insert both adventurousness and circumspection, gregariousness and studiousness.

You'd want a balanced person with the capacity to lead, inspire, engage, and

act decisively, while also thinking deeply, ruminating, and planning ahead. Few of these superhumans

exist, sadly. Those that do tend to excel. But remember, the success of human populations didn't just depend on the evolutionary

success of each individual human who comprised them, but on the evolutionary success of the group

as a whole, the superorganism, the collective energy and aptitude. And what makes for a healthier,

more successful tribe? One composed entirely of

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