Stranger THINGS

Feeling the effects of a lonely planet, Colin's encouraging car park chinwags and the like

- COLIN HOGG

I don't know about you, but I take almost any opportunity I can to talk to strangers, who take almost any opportunity I can to talk to strangers, who are sometimes more interesting than people I know. But it turns out I'm a bit out on my own with this gregarious impulse because, according to new research, people are talking to strangers less and less these days.

I'm not sure why that is, though it seems sad if it's true, another loss of person-to-person connection in a world that seems increasingly disconnected, while constantly checking its phone.

But perhaps we can each do our own little bit to push this cold tide back. After all, talking to strangers has a lot to recommend it. For a start, it briefly makes us better people.