Comment by jfengel
2 days ago
That is extremely rare in America, too. But it still feels awkward to an introvert. Just having another person nearby makes you feel self conscious. You won't be called on to make small talk, but you can't be sure of that.
I think what you are describing is social anxiety, not just being introverted.
My spicy take is that ~90% of people who believe they are introverts actually have a middle level of extroversion plus social anxiety.