I’ve managed to come down with a cold with one day to go to a long weekend. Not much writing in me today but that’s alright because Seth Godin’s latest post directed me to this incredible article about context.
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I’ve managed to come down with a cold with one day to go to a long weekend. Not much writing in me today but that’s alright because Seth Godin’s latest post directed me to this incredible article about context.
2 replies on “Context is All”
i read that article on the plane back from new york. it was amazing. i don’t normally read articles that long, but this time, i devoured it.
I wonder if this violinist, when he was in Boston, ever stopped to listen to Tracy Chapman, who used to play at T stations before she made it big?
Just yesterday I walked past the Chicago Cultural Center, where by its entrance both panhandlers and tourists congregate. A woman darted out of the crowd towards me as I walked and asked me how to walk to Rush Street. I kept walking until it registered that she didn’t want money from me, just directions. So as I paused and looked at her family on the side, I gave her the best way to walk.
Why did I keep walking? Because in this area, and most other city blocks, I can be approached by several people within seconds of each other asking for money. I don’t even take flyers from people anymore, as it has become a new “trick” to get money from people.
It is about context… and timing and knowing your audience. How many of the people who walked past the violinist were wearing iPods listening to The M Show? How many were thinking of something intensive? Just like there are some days that I talk to telemarketers as I am in a certain mental state to, and other days I go click.
It’s a nice sunny day today, so I think I will try to seek out a few flowers that the rains have delivered…
mp/m