A-List Alias

From my recent experience and observation, people are starved for human connection. Why? There are billions of people on this planet, yet very few strive to have interaction with even a tiny fraction of the world's population. Yes, yes, there are those internet dating sights and it is no new news that people are in anxious determination to find love with someone. But that's someone, not humanity. We have become a stifled race with social anxiety, stigmatism, and paralysis. We no longer have the basic skills of how to communicate with others, and when we do happen to find someone in a brief encounter that we connect with, we chicken out because of the before-mentioned problems.
I work at a small upscale grocery market in Wicker Park where I have human interaction constantly. For the most part, people are generally cordial, but every now and then there is the 30-something woman buying her wine and cheese that is too busy gabbing on her iphone to notice the person behind the counter that is depleting her infinite checking account. An even smaller percentage of those I encounter are the ones i find a connection and actually enjoy there encounter at my register. One girl in particular who is around my age and works at my favorite boutique down the street comes in every week. Our first encounter was sparked by our love for FREITAG bags and the store she works. The next week we exchanged names on her initiative. Since then I am all smiles when she comes in because I know a stranger that in a rare circumstance I was able to connect to. However, for these same reasons I'm afraid to pursue any more human interaction besides the one that exists in the grocery market. Fears that surround the "what if she thinks i'm hitting on her" or "what if she thinks i'm creepy, i'm just her grocery clerk," overtake my want to hang out with someone new and someone who seems cool. Was human interaction always this fearful? How did people connect without the internet?

And do you really get to know someone through the internet? My mother has been recommended to join many dating sites recently. Her response has always been that it was too creepy because anybody can lie about themselves. I told her maybe she should have a little more faith in humanity. She then met yet another success story from theresplentyoffish.com a free internet dating site. My mother cynically checked it out and filled out the profile since it was significantly shorter than the others and she is a busy woman. After answering the twenty questions or so, the internet cupid displayed a list of about 15 thumbnails of men that best matched her personality and she was sure to have a connection. Number One? Her ex-husband. Number Two? Her best friend's ex-husband. Needless to say she proved herself right and has refused to look into any more online dating sites, anyone can lie. So when do the internet love-matching guru's figure out that mr. or mrs. right, ain't so right? I guess as soon as the rest of us do with non-internet loves, eh?

I would say in my opinion that most people are pretty comfortable within their large or small circle of friends. No one has time beyond their work/school schedule and time with friends they already know and that know them, to put any effort into someone new, especially if it means that the other could think you're creepy or, heaven forbid, the opposite sexual orientation that you really are, unless it is of course, for love. We tend not to notice that our circle of friends could be expanded until we go through something devastating and lonely, or perhaps just the opposite happens.

In any case, human interaction can be beautiful and well-needed, especially since we're entering the dreary winter months. I implore you to take a risk and strike up a conversation with someone you don't know at all today.

Another amazing resource that is all about basic human connection: Couch Surfing (my personal choice for personal interaction. Couchsurfing keeps me alive and real.

And to throw some art into the mix, this artist, Nick Rodrigues, seems to be doing exactly what I'm talking about.