Human Proximity
One thing I can't figure out is the human need for us to be so close to each other. Not that I don't get the very real and human need/desire to rouch, to be touched, to hold another human and to be held. This is normal, natural, primordial.
What I don't get is when there is much space in a room, in a parking lot, in a theatre, in a restaurant, in a line people congregate together, complete strangers, closely. I am not saying I don't like people - oh sure people in general are just fine - but I like space, room, the ability to be incognito, apart from and able to observe.
But if I walk into a movie theatre and it's nearly empty. I choose a seat far from others, alone, with room to breath and be away from the rank and average. Yet, if this theatre has a 100 seats, 95 of which are empty, someone will sit walk in and sit within 3 seats of me. Others will come in, sit by us, to the point eventually there's a clump of anonymous humanity. Is it 'herd mentality'? Is this the way we're wired? At work, for a meeting, I choose a chair that is by itself, away from others, and someone will walk in and sit directly next to me, when there's 10 other chairs. In a line, the person behind me will stand very close to me; I move away, he steps closer; I move again, and he moves again.
The problem is, I like space. Is there some animal pull that tries to link humans together, strangers, and why the hell do I not feel it?
One thing I can't figure out is the human need for us to be so close to each other. Not that I don't get the very real and human need/desire to rouch, to be touched, to hold another human and to be held. This is normal, natural, primordial.
What I don't get is when there is much space in a room, in a parking lot, in a theatre, in a restaurant, in a line people congregate together, complete strangers, closely. I am not saying I don't like people - oh sure people in general are just fine - but I like space, room, the ability to be incognito, apart from and able to observe.
But if I walk into a movie theatre and it's nearly empty. I choose a seat far from others, alone, with room to breath and be away from the rank and average. Yet, if this theatre has a 100 seats, 95 of which are empty, someone will sit walk in and sit within 3 seats of me. Others will come in, sit by us, to the point eventually there's a clump of anonymous humanity. Is it 'herd mentality'? Is this the way we're wired? At work, for a meeting, I choose a chair that is by itself, away from others, and someone will walk in and sit directly next to me, when there's 10 other chairs. In a line, the person behind me will stand very close to me; I move away, he steps closer; I move again, and he moves again.
The problem is, I like space. Is there some animal pull that tries to link humans together, strangers, and why the hell do I not feel it?
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