I hate that we push individualism. It is unhealthy and breaks down society. We need community and support. As humans, we cannot exist in isolation. People need people.
conversation is an art form and it's a lost one amongst many people today. if you're "shy" or have "social anxiety" then you need to practice socializing because it's a skill like anything else. the more you define yourself as "shy" or whatever, the harder it's gonna get.