Not necessarily. If a shy person does speak up, you know that they've put a lot of effort into doing so. Therefore what they have to say is important, at least

Not necessarily. If a shy person does speak up, you know that they've put a lot of effort into doing so. Therefore what they have to say is important, at least to them. Although shyness and introversion are not the same thing, I think they are closely linked. I am introverted and shy. Because I am introverted, I do not often seek out the company of others, and conversation does not come naturally to me. I am painfully aware that I am not good at conversation, and that becomes foremost in my mind when I anticipate engaging in one. It's like joining a hockey game when you are not a good skater. You just know that all the other players are going to notice how good you are not, and that you being there is making it less fun for everybody else. This anxiety causes you to avoid playing hockey, which just makes the situation worse because you never practice.