It has never been more important to talk to strangers than it is today. Polarized politics, political correctness and digital distractions are making strangers out of all of us. The result is an epidemic of unhappiness and isolation across all age and socio-economic groups.
In the 2015 movie The Intern, Robert De Niro sees two young people texting each other across a room. He brings them together and suggests they start a face-to-face conversation. They discovered the pleasure of putting down the phone and just spending time together.
Let’s do the same. Let’s talk to the strangers who are our neighbors, let’s find out what we can learn from each other. Not just the things we agree on but the things we disagree on because that’s where the learning begins. Let’s talk to help, comfort and heal each other. Let’s make magic together because the benefits of taking to strangers can be surprising and unexpected.