It depends on who you're with. I honestly prefer sitting in silence over obligated small talk, but some people seem really uncomfortable with silence and try to fill the void with small talk.
I think "being quiet" can be a problem when taken to the level of being unnoticed or a shut-in. One of the things I've had to learn - as someone who was called quiet, and "mature for his age", and all that fun stuff - is that the social/public component of personal achievement is pretty important, and people who are willing to put themselves out there and ultimately be their own champions go further than those who live "inconspicuously".
Well, the introvert I am barely talks to anyone besides friends and a select few in my family. When it comes to school it can be seen as a bad thing in terms of group projects and activites. I'm really quiet in my classes and my teachers usually want me to interact more.
It’s not a bad thing at all. I’m pretty quiet in general. I do want to balance it to be a proper pp poll but someone else will have to do that instead.