The new face of shyness (Part Three)

When I grew up in the 1960s and 70s, shyness was a hot topic in France. Aubanel, a very persuasive publisher, sold a tiny blue book by a (fictitious?) W.R. Borg called “Les lois éternelles du succès” (The Eternal Laws of Success,) primarily aimed at overcoming shyness. This personality trait, in fact, contributed to many missed opportunities and I wonder why the subject of shyness seems to have been swept under the rug today? 

Of course, shyness as a personality trait hasn't disappeared, but the vocabulary has changed from "Shyness" to "Social Anxiety". In the 1960s and 1970s, shyness was a general term for awkwardness, difficulty interacting, and fear of judgment. Today, extreme manifestations of shyness are often medicalized or psychologized under the term "Social Anxiety Disorder" (or Social Phobia). 

The problem is now treated in a clinical setting rather than in general self-help books. At the same time, our society has redefined introversion. In popular psychology, silence, reflection, and a preference for solitude are no longer automatically labeled as weaknesses to be overcome, but as valid character traits that have their own strengths. Our pervasive technology has created spaces where shy people can express themselves more easily, making direct confrontation less necessary. 

It’s true that much of our social and professional communication now takes place in writing (emails, messaging, social media). These tools allow shy or anxious people to take the time to formulate their thoughts without the pressure of an immediate face-to-face response. Then there are social media and online communities where folks can find places to express themselves freely hidden behind a screen, allowing them to develop a self-confidence that would not have been possible in the physical social interactions of W.R. Borg's time. 

Today the emphasis is less on the ability to speak in meetings than on the ability to "sell oneself" and "showcase oneself” particularly on social media. The failure of "missed opportunities" is no longer attributed to simple shyness, but to a lack of boldness, assertiveness, or visibility. In the 1960s and 70s, professional success was associated with the image of the assertive executive, dominating the conversation. Today, it is linked to the image of the charismatic leader who can master TED Talk style presentations. 

The fear of public speaking, although linked to shyness, has become a much more popular and lucrative topic in the industry personal development. In conclusion, "shyness" as a major social scourge has been replaced in discourse by social anxiety or a lack of assertiveness. Modern society hasn’t eradicated it; it has simply shifted the locus of discomfort from the living room to the screen, and from interaction to personal branding.