The familiar stranger as identified by Stanley Milgram, the American social psychologist, is someone who is recognised through familiar activity but not interacted with. Someone seen every day on a commute, in a coffee shop or at a supermarket. Experience has lead me to believe that there is an extension to this: the human mirror. The human mirror is the stranger you come into contact with walking down the street or along a corridor who, coming from the opposite direction, meets you at a point where neither of you can pass. You step to one side, so do they. Your decisions reflect each other. You meet at the same impasse. You shape to step to the other side, at the same time so do they, again you stand facing, blocking each others way. You hesitate and remain stationary, allowing them to make the first move, they hesitate too. It is an oddly choreographed dance.
I have a theory, it is untested and will remain so; my theory is that when you meet your human mirror, your first step is to your stronger side. If you are right handed you step to your right; you both step to your right and in most cases the waltz with your reflection is short. I am left handed, I invite you to dance.
Human mirror
The familiar stranger as identified by Stanley Milgram, the American social psychologist, is someone who is recognised through familiar activity but not interacted with. Someone seen every day on a commute, in a coffee shop or at a supermarket. Experience has lead me to believe that there is an extension to this: the human mirror. The human mirror is the stranger you come into contact with walking down the street or along a corridor who, coming from the opposite direction, meets you at a point where neither of you can pass. You step to one side, so do they. Your decisions reflect each other. You meet at the same impasse. You shape to step to the other side, at the same time so do they, again you stand facing, blocking each others way. You hesitate and remain stationary, allowing them to make the first move, they hesitate too. It is an oddly choreographed dance.
I have a theory, it is untested and will remain so; my theory is that when you meet your human mirror, your first step is to your stronger side. If you are right handed you step to your right; you both step to your right and in most cases the waltz with your reflection is short. I am left handed, I invite you to dance.