quiet-the-power-of-introverts-in-a-world-that-cant-stop-talking-susan-cain

17.03.2023 Views

relationships of the age, one might suspectthat anything—including a firstimpression—had made the crucial difference.”Americans responded to thesepressures by trying to become salesmenwho could sell not only their company’slatest gizmo but also themselves.One of the most powerful lensesthrough which to view the transformationfrom Character to Personality isthe self-help tradition in which DaleCarnegie played such a prominent role.Self-help books have always loomedlarge in the American psyche. Many ofthe earliest conduct guides were religiousparables, like The Pilgrim’s Progress,published in 1678, which warnedreaders to behave with restraint if theywanted to make it into heaven. The advicemanuals of the nineteenth centurywere less religious but still preachedthe value of a noble character. They76/929

featured case studies of historical heroeslike Abraham Lincoln, revered notonly as a gifted communicator but alsoas a modest man who did not, as RalphWaldo Emerson put it, “offend by superiority.”They also celebrated regularpeople who lived highly moral lives. Apopular 1899 manual called Character:The Grandest Thing in the World featureda timid shop girl who gave away hermeager earnings to a freezing beggar,then rushed off before anyone could seewhat she’d done. Her virtue, the readerunderstood, derived not only from hergenerosity but also from her wish to remainanonymous.But by 1920, popular self-help guideshad changed their focus from inner virtueto outer charm—“to know what tosay and how to say it,” as one manualput it. “To create a personality ispower,” advised another. “Try in every77/929

relationships of the age, one might suspect

that anything—including a first

impression—had made the crucial difference.”

Americans responded to these

pressures by trying to become salesmen

who could sell not only their company’s

latest gizmo but also themselves.

One of the most powerful lenses

through which to view the transformation

from Character to Personality is

the self-help tradition in which Dale

Carnegie played such a prominent role.

Self-help books have always loomed

large in the American psyche. Many of

the earliest conduct guides were religious

parables, like The Pilgrim’s Progress,

published in 1678, which warned

readers to behave with restraint if they

wanted to make it into heaven. The advice

manuals of the nineteenth century

were less religious but still preached

the value of a noble character. They

76/929

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