Shyness and introversion — or more precisely, the careful, sensitive temperament from which both often spring — are not just normal. They are valuable. And they may be essential to the survival of our species.

Shy and introverted people have been part of our species for a very long time, often in leadership positions. Charles Darwin, Marcel Proust, Albert Einstein, Google's Larry Page, and Harry Potter's creator, J. K. Rowling were all considered timid in social situations.

(READ the story in the New York Times)