our everyday sacrafice

[Ganj]

everyday we sacrafice people without them even knowing it. everyday we walk by hundreds to thousands of people without even acknowledging them. are these people not important? well most of us (including myself), right them off as "strangers". is that what they are? they're human, just like you and me. why shouldn't they be permitted to have an importance in your life?

who knows? you could have walked by thousands of your true-loves, best friends, dankest dealers, career oppurtunities, we let this all slip away because we don't know eachother?! i'm pissed.

[FunkyMonkey]

I have thought this as well. Lets do something about it.
I challenge everyone of us to make one random connection by the end of the day friday and post about your experience...no bs, real random connections.
Approach a stranger in any situation and make a connection with them. Initiate conversation, entertain them, teach them something, whatever. Pick one 'stranger' and dont just walk on by.
It would be an interesting social experiment and a way for many of us to break out of our shells, or help a stranger break out of theirs.
Make it positive, make it inspiring, make it fun!
Im looking forward to it already. I do this a lot, especially when Im out with my son. He draws attention. He facilitates random conversation.
Today I will do it without him.
Anyone else?

[beachguy in thongs]

I can't see how you can just walk by someone without saying hello. Unless, you see they have other things on their mind besides starting a conversation, like looking for their car keys, while carrying groceries.

[Ganj]

I can't see how you can just walk by someone without saying hello. Unless, you see they have other things on their mind besides starting a conversation, like looking for their car keys, while carrying groceries.
give them a hand. initiative is key.
great idea, monkey (you don't mind that i call you monkey, right?). everyday i make a random connection on the internet, but i hope to do it face-to-face one day, very soon.

[Roadking]

The eyes are the gateway to the soul

[Ganj]

The eyes are the gateway to the soul
get closer so you can see the pigments in them, that's where the soul lies. while your a foot away, you might as well start a conversation.

[Roadking]

get closer so you can see the pigments in them, that's where the soul lies. while your a foot away, you might as well start a conversation.




They say that Hindus converse with each other inches away...

[FunkyMonkey]

Yeah call me monkey, call me funky, call me daddy , whatever hehe

[Roadking]

Thoreau called them 'Hindoos'

[Roadking]

Go, speed the stars of Thought
On to their shining goals
The sower scatters broad his seed
The wheat thou strew'st be souls

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

[beachguy in thongs]

give them a hand. initiative is key.
great idea, monkey (you don't mind that i call you monkey, right?). everyday i make a random connection on the internet, but i hope to do it face-to-face one day, very soon.
Yeah, I can see it now.

Excuse me sir, can I help you carry that bag to your car?

There's a lot of people out there, it's kind of hard to keep up with them all. It would be nice to make sure you make some sort of contact with a stranger, be it a "'sup" or a "How's it going?".

But, you know when you pass someone briefly and you both say what's up? Or, how ya' doin'? I always make sure I answer them, even if it's just "good". Some people don't answer, mostly because they're used to routine and never looked beyond the ordinary or they're too stupid to realize that "What's up?" actually is a question.

[Ganj]

Yeah, I can see it now.

Excuse me sir, can I help you carry that bag to your car?

There's a lot of people out there, it's kind of hard to keep up with them all. It would be nice to make sure you make some sort of contact with a stranger, be it a "'sup" or a "How's it going?".

But, you know when you pass someone briefly and you both say what's up? Or, how ya' doin'? I always make sure I answer them, even if it's just "good". Some people don't answer, mostly because they're used to routine and never looked beyond the ordinary or they're too stupid to realize that "What's up?" actually is a question.
yeah, we leave eachother before even waiting for an answer. haha! i can just see you standing there, waiting for their response while they look at you strangely.

[FunkyMonkey]

I live in a small town so it will be easier for me to engage someone in a conversation but I bet some of you in cities might have to go through a few people before you actually find one who will even look at you. People are annonymous in cities. Here in my town we are more open to stopping to talk to each other.
I hope Im not the only one posting my experience tomorrow. And I hope Im not the only one telling the truth hehe :)

[Ganj]

well i start a new job tomorrow, so for sure i'll be able to post an experience, too. i'm looking forward to your post, monkey/daddy lol.

[beachguy in thongs]

Good luck , Ganj. :stoned:

[Ganj]

Good luck , Ganj. :stoned:
appreciate it. now, i'm off to unfold some roaches. until tomorrow...

[Ganj]

why do we do these things? i mean, sure, we probably acknowledge people like beachguy explained, everyday. but, is that enough?

my main question is, why? we don't care, not in the mood, or we're busy. it's all about your own. our selfishness rights these people off as "strangers". any further insight would be greatly appreciated.

[beachguy in thongs]

Shy, and don't want to impose, or intrude.

[Blowboy]

shit, i should've seen this post earlier, it's already friday.
I've been thinking about todays air of distance too. It's like everyone is living in their own bubble, and only sometimes they let some1 in.
I'll also try the experiment asap, and hope to be posting some cool experience soon

[pabloescobar209]

everyday we sacrafice people without them even knowing it. everyday we walk by hundreds to thousands of people without even acknowledging them. are these people not important? well most of us (including myself), right them off as "strangers". is that what they are? they're human, just like you and me. why shouldn't they be permitted to have an importance in your life?

who knows? you could have walked by thousands of your true-loves, best friends, dankest dealers, career oppurtunities, we let this all slip away because we don't know eachother?! i'm pissed.
^^^^^ this is like the exact plot of the movie " Pay it forward"

[pabloescobar209]

dude theres almost 7 billion people on earth you cant be everybodys friend or enemy, or even know everybody. your whole idea of caring is based on the assumption that people want to help people which in our world is false... people want to help themselves because everything revolves around money and power. its a great idea and all but will never work.

[Ganj]

dude theres almost 7 billion people on earth you cant be everybodys friend or enemy, or even know everybody. your whole idea of caring is based on the assumption that people want to help people which in our world is false... people want to help themselves because everything revolves around money and power. its a great idea and all but will never work.
ultimately, it's not the entire world that matters, but rather the world as it revolves around an individual.

[Whos Carl]

I shoot strangers and people I toke with. Paranoia it kills.

[mellow mood]

good idea funky.

i hate individualism

[Ganj]

its a great idea and all but will never work.
bob marley wouldn't tolerate this...

[FunkyMonkey]

Well my encounter isnt that spectacular. But, I will explain it anyhow.
It was a cold ass windy as heck day and the streets were barren. I figured my best bet on approaching someone who would least expect it would be in a store while they were shopping.
So, into the local dollar store I went. I strolled the isles looking for someone interesting and it quickly became apparent to me that this wasnt going to be as easy as I first thought. The first two people I approached just assumed I was asking them to move out of my way. I said 'Hi how are you today', and stood there in expectation of some reply that would determine how I was going to proceed. Both of them said, " oh sorry " and stepped aside for me to pass. They didnt even have a clue what I said. They just assumed I wanted them to move.
So, I saw a woman at the checkout in one of those electric scooter things and she was asking the man behind the counter if he sold stamps. ( wtf dollar store sells stamps?) She just wasnt getting his response. Maybe she thought she was in the post office. So , being that I had a book of stamps in my pocket from my own trip to the p.o. I approached her and asked her how many she needed. She looked at me like I asked her if I could read the mail she was sending. Quite untrusting. (Come on lady Im innocent looking. All of my victims say so.)
So , I reached into my pocket and took out the booklet. She said ," no thats ok young man" and proceeded to put her scooter into gear and wiggle her way out of the store. Well, that was a failure...or was it?
I decided to press the issue in the most polite way I could. I held the door for her and asked her if I could please give her some stamps, since it was quite cold and the post office was 3 blocks away. She stopped her scooter in the middle of the doorway and started to rummage her change purse out of her massive handbag.
People wanted in. and the guy wanted his door closed , like I said it was damn cold. So, not wanting my generosity to turn into a hassle for other people I just stuck the entire book into her handbag and mentioned to her that we should clear the doorway. Well she wanted to pay me what they were worth, and continued to search. ( come on lady cant you see?) I couldnt move out of the way to let ppl pass since I was kinda cornered. I couldnt just squeeze past and walk away or the door would shut on her. Then this man started to kinda try to squeeze past us both and get in. Well I wasnt having any of that. Im not intersted in being touched by strangers, especially ones who are impatiently trying to brush past and in the process rub their entire body against mine. ESPECIALLY a man! I got tense, I asked him to please wait until the lady had gone throught the door before he came through. Well, seems he was another deaf guy or had shit in his ears because he just kept trying to fit.
I was feeling quite uncomfortable, and feeling my face flushing, and I was aware that anger was approaching. I wanted to shove this guy back, but here was this old lady in the doorway. Well, she decided to teach him some manners and drove into him, onto his foot. He grabbed the handle and tried to stop her. She wasnt saying a word, just driving into him and looking at me. He wasnt saying a word, just trying to not be run down. Now all this had only taked a few seconds so far. I smiled at her and said have a great day ma'am, thinking she was leaving.
Nope, apparently she just wanted to plow him outa the way haha. She stopped once she had the doorway cleared and said " It doesnt feel nice to be shoved now does it ?" to either me or the guy she shoved. He went into the store without a word, and I chuckled and said " I think he got your point"
She was now out of her shell. She asked me about paying for the stamps and I declined and offered to walk with her to the mailbox and help her deposit her letters. She stuck her hand into her bag, pulled out her envelopes and asked if I could help her apply the stamps. Long story short, I did so and walked with her to the box. As I was about to put them in the box I noticed one was her utility payment. Well, we were standing a few doors down from the utility office where she was mailing them to so I offered to take it into the office for her . She declined, saying that there was no wheelchair access so she was mailing it. Um ok then, into the box it went. She gave me back my remaining stamps, thanked me warmly and drove off saying god bless and happy holidays. I walked on.

I think I cheated, since older people are easy to approach. All you have to do is offer some help. Nothing new for me.

Next time I hope to find a better challenge. I will attempt to find someone who doesnt look happy and try to make them smile somehow.

So , anyone else head out on a mission today?

[Ganj]

wow! what a great story, funky monkey. the most interaction i've had with a stranger since the beginning of this thread was yesterday, when i met a friend of a friend. no luck with people on the streets, because...well...i haven't really left the enclosure of walls. i've been sending a lot of anonymous people messages though. one of which who talks to me on yahoo, and others who don't give a damn. kind of like that guy trying to push his way in the store. oooo, i'm surprised you held it down, i probably would have let him pass and tripped him in the process.