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Frequently Asked Questions
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What is "Talk To Me" about?
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It's about talking to strangers. It's a simple excuse to say hello to the person next to you.
It's about meeting the neighbors.
It's about meeting people you might not ordinarily meet, in places you might not ordinarily
go. It's about getting to know the town, city, country, or world
you're in.
- Why talk to strangers? Isn't that dangerous?
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Let's face it: at some point in our life, we had friends, got jobs,
and got married all because we talked to strangers. Any one who tells you not
to talk to strangers is asking you to inbreed or be a lifelong recluse. Now we're not encouraging
7-year olds to roam Times Square freely, but we do think interesting things
happen when strangers meet each other without any other agenda. Stories are shared.
Viewpoints are exchanged. New ideas happen.
- What about the strangers who are actually strange?
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A little common sense and assertiveness can go a long way. Here are a few
ideas on how to deal.
- How did this all start?
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A couple of us decided to make a big 'Talk To Me' sign in New York City and see what the city had to
say for itself. It was so interesting that we eventually ended up talking and listening there for a couple years.
We'd throw an annual party where hundreds and hundreds of the people we met would come to the public
library and meet each other. Now folks try it out all over the world.
- What are some of your favorite places to go talk?
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Wherever there are people! Main streets, farmers markets, nursing homes, park benches, bars, coffee shops, boardwalks,
rodeos, concerts, barber shops, hotel conferences, laundromats, visitors centers, pedestrian bridges,
baseball games, college campuses, well...just about anywhere!
- Is it easier to talk to strangers in a big city than a small town?
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Everyone has different experiences. Big cities can have bigger crowds, but the people generally
have less time. Small towns might not have 5 cafes on the block, but people are much more likely
to give you a two-hour local history tour. Big cities can be anonymous; small towns can be
extremely tight communities. There's always a tradeoff.
- How do I get my own sign?
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You can just download it here, cut it out, laminate it, put some string on it,
and start talking to people. We only ask that if you put up a 'Talk To Me' sign, that you keep with the spirit of the endeavor - have
no agenda, and don't take any money.
- Why are you really doing this?
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There's no hidden agenda, we swear! People sit on chat rooms all day online, why not make a chat room
in the real world?
- How is this all funded?
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We put this all together as a whim, a big what if, and to some extent, it's still a very serious whim.
The project survives on a shoestring thanks to the generous kindhearted folks who donate
resources of all sorts to keep it going.
- How do I find you all?
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The easiest way is to e-mail the site.
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