I was just down at SXSW and viewing a huge variety of music, art, interactive, and film media. While I was totally enamored with the festival itself, I found myself watching the people who were attending even more so.
These aren’t your normal business types, these are hipsters, jocks, film makers, novelists, geeks, party junkies, and pretty much everything in between mashed into a cubic mile of space. It truly is amazing to not only interact with these amazing people, but also to simply sit down and absorb what is going on around you.
Now I was not lingering over people Animal House style and nor was I staring at people until a fight erupted or I was asked to meet someone at room 69 at the Red Roof Inn that night. I simply was walking around being totally taken by the sweeps of people from all walks of life.
After I cam back down to reality, I soon realized that people watching is something that many people either
A) Never do and think they never will
B) Do fairly consistently but never admit to it
C) Are very open about their willingness to and love for having eye sex with passerbyers
Whether you like doing it to play devils advocate with unsuspecting victims or simply enjoy watching the mass of diversity that is going on around you, it is important to take a few moments every day, ease back into the upright position, and really watch and take in the community of people around you. Who knows? you might even learn a few things.
Cheers
Gabriel
