The No Strangers Project - Changing social conventions one interaction at a time
This site will become more populated as I find time to fill it in. In the meantime:
- The project's intent is to encourage making connection with strangers the default behavior, rather than unusual and out of the ordinary.
- The goal is to lower (where mutually desired) implicit walls between individuals that prevent meaningful connection and community; many very much wish such walls were not there, but don't know howFor me, this whole effort is definitely a "Work In Progress", where I sometimes fail to handle things as well as I would like (even though my intent is good). I typically feel quite badly as a result - whether I have been less connected and acknowledging and open as I would have liked, or on the flip side, been inadvertently intrusive. However, given the lack of good role models and the disconnected norm of our society, such "mishaps" are not overly surprising. I think we need to all give ourselves a little slack as we try new things, as the potential upside for all involved is so high. to remove or bypass.
- As part of this, and noted in my Guiding Principles, The interchange: “How are you?”, “I’m fine, how are you?, “Fine.” rarely helps either party; be real.
Eventually, I hope to print out T-Shirts and cards others can use to form connections. (Certainly my "I Welcome Drafting" T-Shirts have generated lots of fun interactions while cycling that otherwise would not have occurred.)
David Durlach
Additional info about me that may offer background for this site's creation, and serve as useful information until it gets more populated.:
- Some of my Guiding Principles, including link to cool TED Talk on the importance of community and connection.
- On TechnoFrolics website About section.
No Strangers Project
c/o TechnoFrolics
11 Miller Street
Somerville, MA 02143
email info(at)nostrangersproject(dot)com