I came across a great program the CBC ran this summer. It was called 'Hidden City'. Its premise was that within every city is a hidden city. Groups of people who gather for different reasons:faith, tai chi, mexican food, or say football. These groups all have a social structure, its own rules etc. The goal of this show was identifying and penetrating these subcultures.
What facinated me was that they began by creating their own subculture by looking total strangers in downtown toronto straight, square in the eye. Whoever looked back they invited into their inner society. What amazed me is an unspoken understanding that people who look each other in the eye humanize their community. Community was built through eye contact.
Having lived in downtown toronto it is evident to me that people do not talk to one another, they don't get in each others way. How they do this initially is by avoiding eye contact. One person was interviewed and they said not only was eye contact a primary way of greeting and getting to know people, but that it was also a basic means of building trust. If you want safe community, if you want to get people's hearts- look them in the eye.
What a fantastic starting point to beginning to talking about spiritualizing/humanizing people. Take the time to look them in the eye. What a fantastic program. Cudos CBC.
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