After the close of Quote Month at Ragamuffin Ramblings, it is time to discover what the month of March holds for this little piece of the world-wide web.
Upon some reflection, I look to make March ‘Social Experiment Month’.
Last March I made it a goal to make intentional eye contact in every single interaction I had. I sought to journal my way through it in hopes of possibly creating a larger project out of it.
I will begin Social Experiment Month with some of my reflections from that short time last year.
BUT…
I hope to engage with a few other social experiments each week of March.
THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN…
I need to hear some ideas for social experiments I can engage with for a week at a time. I would love to have your suggestions here at Ragamuffin Ramblings or Facebook or twitter. Leave your suggestions for my consideration. But here are a few rules.
- This is not ‘Jackass’ - I am not trying to make this into challenge to see what I can do to make people uncomfortable around me (unless that is just a natural response). The hope is to see what sorts of things could these experiments do to see what sorts of things are or have become awkward (i.e. intentional eye contact) but when enacted create a sense of connection, community, concern for each other, etc.
- Where is the redemptive quality? – Upon your suggestion, what do suspect it might look like when I begin to participate. What good could come of it if you could predict?
Possible ideas: hugs, high fives, creative ways to serve people, ways to sacrifice my right in order to serve, not using phone or internet at coffee shop, how might I use my cell phone, cell phone pictures of something, etc.
What ideas would you suggest for me? What ideas would you like to see my reflections on here?
Oooohh….I have heard of some coffee shops in San Fran that actually don’t allow you to take out your laptop and they have reported some pretty cool community going on there because of it. It would be very interesting if you didn’t take yours out…I’d be willing to bet you would have some pretty awesome conversations. But when would you write?
I also read about that shop in San Fran. It was a week long or month long thing they did to see what might happen. I never saw any follow-up articles showing what actually did happen during that time.
ideas:
- replacing “what do you do?” with “what’s your story?” when it comes to meeting new people
- giving something of substance (to you) away each day of the week. paying for the order of the person behind you, the hoodie you’re wearing to someone shivering on the street… just something that matters to you. people don’t expect this, and it frees us from our possessions.
- sincerely encouraging those around you throughout the week. i don’t think we encourage each other enough, even among our closest communities.
- i like the high fives to everyone you say hi to. even the barista behind the counter. whenever customers do different things at my work, i love it. the change-up is refreshing and gets me out of the sometimes monotonous routine.
just some random ideas. the no laptop/headphone thing is really interesting. just yesterday i had a long conversation with a then strange elderly gentleman named Todd at Peets. it was great.
Sarah, those ideas are all so legit! Thank you for those.
I’m pretty sure I will enact at least one of those ideas this month.
Sarah, do you blog somewhere?
yep! http://sarahspezia.wordpress.com/
It’d be interesting if you had umbrellas donated to you, or if you were able to find some really cheap – you could give out umbrellas while it is raining to those without or purposefully have your own big umbrella and share it with people who don’t have one. Volunteer to walk people to their car while under the dryness of your umbrella. I think people would be a little taken aback by this and also appreciative.
Colleen, that is such a legit suggestion. I’m writing it down. I may have to extend this beyond a month. (secretly, that is a possible motive)
I’m not full of ideas but thought I would include one. While you are so keen on interacting, how about looking for people who look particularly sad or alone, handicapped, or even someone who appears down on their luck and ask them if there is anything they need or that you can pray for them about, maybe obtain first names and then remember them. We pass by so many people when a simple hello and smile would benefit them. Appreciate what you are doing – maybe you should make it a challenge and I love the umbrella thing with all the rain you’ve been having.
Thanks Mary! I like even the subtlty of the hello and a smile. I think it truly would go a long way. It is so subtle in reality, but can be pretty influential if made into a habit.
Speaking of hugs, my friend stood in Old Sac with a sign that said “Free Hugs”.
One idea I have (will probably think of more later) is to write someone a letter and send it in the mail. The art of writing letters is so lost on our technology driven day to day routine. I think people would be taken aback that instead of a facebook quickie or text or even voicemail message, that you spent the time and money (for a stamp) to send them a letter from the heart. Its a treasure not many of us receive unless from someone who lives/is visiting somewhere far away. So.. why not send a letter to someone who lives in Sac?
I like the idea a lot, Sarah. That would be something difficult to see the responses to in a week. But I really really like the idea. Hmmmm…I will have to think about this one.
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