The Bombay duck, native to the waters of Mumbai, India, stands out with its dull brown color, large protruding mouth, and prominent pectoral fins. However,  it's far from being a duck. It's a fish notorious for its pungent, strong salty odor and fiendish appearance with its wide, gaping mouth. This peculiar looking creature and its distinctive smell led the British, during Colonial India, to ban its sale. The ban stemmed from its pungent stink in mail trains which cast doubts on its cleanliness. Nonetheless, this protein-and-mineral rich fish, loaded with omega-3 fatty acids is important for heart and joint health. While it remains a delicacy in India, Bangladesh and SriLanka, beyond those countries, the valuable Bombay duck is barely eaten.

Just as their high fiber, protein-rich, and antioxidant properties gave Quinoa and açaí from South America a place in American diets,  the heart-healthy Bombay duck could very well have been incorporated into it too,  if not for its misnomer. After all, how many people are open to experimenting with eating a duck versus trying a new fish? Worse, Bombay duck also belongs to the marine lizardfish family. How’s that for another misnomer? How many of us want anything associated with lizards on our dinner plates? This mislabeling conveys the impact of naming and the importance of careful consideration in the labeling process. Were it not for the misnomer, who knows, perhaps it could’ve even been a cheaper alternative to the heart-healthy salmon? 

As a child, I was quiet. Whether in the school playground or during class discussions, I tended to speak less than my peers. When asked why, I had no immediate response. My inclination wasn't to vocalize my thoughts unless necessary. 

I remember visiting with one of my mother’s friends. Despite my nervousness meeting someone new, I found myself engrossed as Mrs. X’s daughter, a girl my age, discussed topics of sports, and sci-fi novels—interests that originally didn’t align with mine. Curious, and eager to broaden my horizons as always, I ended up reading some of the books she mentioned. However, I still recall that evening, before we left, Mrs. X  expressed concerns about my quiet nature and suggested a visit to a psychiatrist.  The remark left me upset and confused. 

As an introvert, I've encountered family members and strangers alike emphasizing how the world might not appreciate my quietness. Dad believes being outgoing earns one respect, while my relatives often compare my demeanor to that of my more expressive sister. I've been labeled "arrogant,"  "strange," or "boring." All labels that run contrary to who I am. Destructive, loaded labels that can lead to self-doubt and limit one’s potential. 

Infact, a 2015 experiment by researcher Robert Rosenthal demonstrated how labels influence interactions. The mice labeled "smart" performed better than those labeled "dumb”. The research assistants responsible for them were unaware that both sets of mice were equally intelligent. So what caused the difference in performance? The mice labeled as ‘dumb’ performed worse because of the poor manner in which the research assistants handled and treated them versus those mice they thought “smart”. This same phenomenon extends to humans.  Labels are cues that impact our performance as they are internalized and accepted by individuals.

Introversion has its gifts. They’ve allowed me to flourish in multiple roles, especially as a writer. As an editor in my school newspaper, my attentive listening skills come into play as I brainstorm story ideas with the entire publication, encouraging both the sharing and perspective-taking team-wide. In interviews that I conduct, I listen carefully and ask insightful questions. As an introvert, I’m comfortable with solitude which makes time for in-depth research possible. I cherish deeper, one-to-one connections, over numerous superficial interactions, fostering relationships from which I’ve learned so much. As a result, I’ve made long lasting, valuable friendships. Further, I don’t feel the need to rush in with words. Instead, I observe and ponder, resulting in better problem solving skills.

Similar to the Bombay duck, I as an introvert have been labeled with a misnomer. The characteristics associated with the label “introvert” fail to capture our true value. The misnomer obscures the strengths of introversion much like the hidden nutritional value of the Bombay duck. I propose a name reflecting the benefits of the Bombay duck.  "OmegaNourish" Fish would better illustrate its intrinsic benefits.