On a recent afternoon stroll though Baltimore’s Mount Vernon Place, British artist Andy Field surveyed his surroundings. There were lots of people out enjoying the quartet of leafy squares full of statuary and fountains ringed by some of the city’s grandest, older homes. But most of these park goers were not interacting with each other: Lone people sat on benches, reading and scrolling through their phones.

Field’s latest book, Encounterism: The Neglected Joys of Being In Person, is full of essays touting the benefits of every day, mundane encounters with strangers, and examining the barriers that prevent these kinds of interactions. For many people, he explained, the discomfort surrounding meeting strangers comes from not knowing what the other person’s intentions are. But there are things that can help people lower their guard by redirecting each other’s focus, such as shared activities – or a dog.

Bloomberg Citylab