Howdy Stranger!

The original first sentence of this post was, "I was reading an article on The Onion this morning, and I came across something interesting", but that sentence is really boring so I replaced it with this one.  So, anyways, I was reading an article on The Onion this morning, and I came across something interesting. (Definitely better as a second sentence)  Much like when Morpheus presented Neo either the Blue or Red pill, I will give you the same choice.  I have for you two links: the link to the article is here Article, and a link to a walrus playing saxophone is here Walrus.  Reading the Article will probably enrich you as a person, and might even make you chuckle.  Watching the Walrus will just make you chuckle and wonder why you haven't amounted to such feats of ingenuity.  Therein lies the decision: High chance of enlightenment with a low chance of chuckles or High chance of chuckles with a high chance of self-degradation.  For you article readers, stick around.

Drugs...

Now that we've taken the leap down the rabbit-hole, please allow me to respond to The Onion article: Nailed it.  First, however, I feel like I must frame The Onion.  As I hope we are aware, and by "we" I mean the 4 people who read this blog, The Onion is a satirical newspaper.  Artfully interlaced in their prose is a pseudo-cynical commentary about the topic at hand.  "Report: It's Not Okay To Just Start Talking To People You Don’t Know" tackles the issue of striking up conversations with strangers in everyday environments.  It goes on to vehemently oppose the idea, going so far as to consider people who strike up conversations "Assholes".  Wrapped in it's satire, I believe that the article is really about Fear.  It is so much easier to remain silent when around strangers, and the article is a condemnation as much as it is a challenge to people to consider their interactions with one another.  Before shit starts getting too real, I should probably make my weekly movie recommendation: Throw Momma from the Train featuring Danny DeVito and Billy Crystal. Anne Ramsey is lovely for all of you Goonies fans out there.

Such a pleasant lady

And...we're back. Fear. Strangers. Disco Fever. Now that we're late enough the post, I suppose I can actually say what the post is about.  The Onion article, if taken seriously, is sadly true but wholly incorrect. Not acknowledging strangers is exactly what imprisons us.  There was once a time where meeting new people was almost entirely dependent on our ability to hold discourse with strangers.  (Yo, yo, postmodern child getting all nostalgic up in here!)  Nowadays, there are so many other outlets.  I recently attended a conference where one of the speakers was literally Tweeting from the stage.  To me, that meant he was no present, he was not in the room with us.  He was elsewhere.  He was somewhere where he felt safe.  Striking up conversations with strangers is terrifying and makes us vulnerable.  Tweeting to an audience that is limited to 140 characters to reply is not.

To think they were strangers when the movie started...

So, my rant continues three posts later.  Talk to me.  Let's enjoy a little time.  I once took a train ride from Los Angeles to Chicago with a friend of mine.  It took 48 hours.  In that time we shared stories not only with each other, but with dozens of complete strangers.  The Navy couple from San Diego, the pitbull breeder from Albuquerque, and the scruffy potentially homeless stowaway from Gary, Indiana.  The Onion got the satire complete right because the message is so completely wrong.

That kid also narrates Arrested Development