Our instinct to avoid conversations with strangers is wrong. We only think we want solitude. We underestimate how much joy social connection can bring. Open your eyes and look around. Say hi to a stranger! But don’t take this as blanket advice to harass strangers in public. Test the waters. When you approach someone, see if they are open to chatting by commenting on something around you or asking a question. If they’re not picking up what you’re putting down, leave them alone. (Please don’t get maced! That’s bad publicity for me.) But you’ll probably be surprised—in a good way—by what happens
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