Inside the shell of an old payphone labeled “The Party Line,” biotech company Matter Neuroscience installed cell phone technology so people from the most conservative city in America – Abilene, Texas – could talk to people in the most liberal city in America – San Francisco, California. When someone picks up one phone, it automatically rings the other.
In California, a sign reads “Call a republican,” while in Texas, a similar one says “Call a democrat.” A written blurb posted to explain the social experiment encourages passersby to have a fun and meaningful conversation with someone from a different place, someone who may or may not share their views.
The big questions: Would anyone actually do it? And if so, would they focus on their differences or discover what they have in common?
“The goal of this project is to create space for friendly, human-to-human conversations,” Matter explained on its Instagram page (@matterneuroscience). “We believe that a few different opinions (even on important political topics) should not block us from having a truly positive, maybe even fun conversation with other humans.”
And they were right.
People looking to connect are using the phones – and every conversation so far has been positive, focusing on similarities rather than differences. After the initial small talk, callers discuss relatives, the “great people” they know in the other city, and even motorcycles.
“People don’t want to be seen as stereotypes,” says Matter co-founder Ben Goldhirsh. “People look to connect on human stuff,” like favorite foods, where they’re from, or how a date went. When we take the opportunity to connect, “it turns out the best parts of us.”
After the success of the original “Party Line” experiment, Matter Neuroscience launched “Call a Boomer” and “Call a Zoomer” phones in Boston and Reno, aiming to connect generations in real time. Both Boomers and Zoomers are statistically the loneliest demographic groups in America, and these phones help bridge that gap.
Boston University students and Nevada senior center residents share stories about their hometowns, favorite movies, classes, and even exchange life advice – including one student’s reminder that we all need to spend more time off our phones!
The goal is simple: for participants to leave feeling more connected and happier.
It seems to be working.
Most of us don’t live near these social experiment phones, but opportunities to connect are everywhere. One such moment surprised me last week.
To support a local high school’s graduating class, I went with a small group to visit a nearby retirement community. We asked senior adults what life advice they’d like to pass along to graduates, writing their wisdom onto cards to be shared with the students. Some offered nuggets of wisdom immediately, while others worried they had little to share. But as we encouraged them to simply talk about their lives, the wisdom flowed.
What we received, though, was much more than advice for high school graduates. The older adults felt relevant and valued, and we really enjoyed hearing their stories, along with some much-needed advice for ourselves. It was a wonderful afternoon!
Wherever you are, try it.
Make a habit of reaching out to people you don’t know – people who look or think differently, those who need support or simply want to be heard.
In an elevator, on a train, at the bus stop, while waiting for your coffee or standing in line: instead of picking up your phone, intentionally start a conversation with someone around you.
And watch your sense of connection – and happiness – soar.
(Photo/KTVU)
Please share this post with people in your life and remember: your connections to the people around you MATTER! None of us can do it alone. We need each other to make this world better – one word, one action, one person at a time.
