Why we need to learn to talk to strangers again
There's a silent pandemic we're not talking about enough. Researchers agree: Chronic loneliness can be as harmful to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. We are social beings, but our opportunities for interpersonal interaction are dwindling. We spend hours in front of screens and shop at self-checkouts. Unplanned human interaction is quietly disappearing from our daily lives.
We know theoretically how important communication and interaction are. But how do you practice these skills in real life without it feeling like work?
We can no longer wait for social interaction to simply happen. We must shape it, lovingly provoke it, and create a stage for it. We must once again become architects of our own encounters.
A tool to break the ice – with yourself and others
At the Museum of Values, we believe that the solution lies in the small, in the playful. That's why we developed the Action Cards . They are a simple yet powerful tool for transforming the theory of social interaction into a lived, daily practice.
Your personal training camp for social interaction:
- 35 concrete impulses: Instead of abstract theories, you will receive small, doable tasks that bring you into contact with your environment.
- Everyday life as a playing field: The cards invite you to see your neighborhood, the café or the park as a place for new, unexpected encounters.
- Practice communication: Each card is an exercise to practice interacting with people in an easy and playful way.
The architecture of the community
The idea that our built and social environment significantly influences our well-being is nothing new. In his book "Palaces for the People," sociologist Eric Klinenberg describes the importance of shared spaces—from libraries to parks—as "social infrastructure." This idea of creating spaces for change is shared by our partners at The Art of Embodying Change GmbH , who empower people to actively embrace change.
Are you ready to stop reading and start interacting?
