Everything is context. Take the bus driver off the bus, the waiter out of the restaurant, your child's teacher out of the classroom, and the question when you both meet on the street might be: "I think I know you..."
Now imagine if you shaved your head and walked around without your hair. Would people recognize you? Would you recognize yourself? So let's take this one step further.
What if you were to remove everything that surrounds you -as if you were in a painting where everything above, below and around your shaved head was a blur of color - so that the ONLY focus was on your eyes, your nose, and your lips. To an observer, you would look look more like a face with color around it: a Disney movie "talking flower."
To understand what I'm talking about, follow me as I experience "The TUBE." I'm talking about "TubeTALK" the name I gave to a wrap around colorful scarf -- designed by Denver-based artist, Nicholas Toll.
Because the tube is open on both ends - to facilitate a private conversation - it can be turned into an "ice breaker" between two strangers at a party, used as a highly effective tool for "anger management," or even used as a "one-minute" marriage counselor.
How does it work? Hand one end of the colorful cloth tube to someone, then pull the other end over your head. It's a gesture like pulling on a ski cap. Then, what you see looking back at you from the other end of the cloth tunnel is simply a pair of eyes, nose, and lips. It is the OTHER person, out of context. Surprise! You are too.
The conversation would be conducted by your eyes, your nose, your smile, or frown. Laughter would overpower words. Shyness would have no place to hide.
There are 1,000 ways to say: "Hello." "I'm Sorry." "Hey!" Now there are 1001 ways.
After trying it out at a HUBBoulder "Supercollider #3" event, it took me almost a day to track him down and deliver a simple message: "I want to buy one." Nicholas is part of a four-day festival of performances @communikey that combine sound, design, art & technology. He brought his product to Culture Clash looking for a name and a purpose. He needs to talk to me. His simple idea could go a long way toward resolving a world of conflict.
Is the world ready to turn up the dial on fun, playfulness, and laughter? I am.
Award-winning author, Alexia Parks, has made a new, ground-breaking discovery on the New Science of a woman's brain. She has shown that women's brains are literally hardwired by evolution with exactly the traits that are needed for leadership today.