Imagine arriving at a party at a friend’s house. You know some people, but not everyone. On a visit to the kitchen, you are approached by a stranger and begin a friendly conversation. In that moment, perhaps unconsciously, you are both reading each other’s vibe. This first impression is like a gut feeling that might relate to their dress, language, interests, social abilities, or lack thereof. With a bit of observation and intuition, we can build a perception of them. The vibe is something you feel.
Subscribe for free:
Later you might encounter someone who is a little awkward, dresses unfashionably, and is passionate about technical subjects. They’re polite, well-mannered, and intelligent. Even if you can’t put your finger on it, this person seems like a classic nerd.
In another case, you find yourself with someone confident and charismatic. They are stylishly dressed and project a sense of openness and seem a little detached. You come away with a perception that they are cool, or a “cool kid”.
Or maybe your conversation with the mysterious-looking person in the corner made you feel that they are sensitive, creative, and introverted. Their vibe feels like that of an artist.
By the end of the night, you may come across a variety of vibes that make the impression of intellectualism, playfulness, empathy, or shame. The vibes do part of the talking.
This dynamic is a common part of being human. We all have vibes and use vibes as shortcuts. Vibes help us find our people and navigate the world. They can also create anxiety and become a tool for exclusion, stereotyping, and stigmatization. By understanding the nature of vibes we can learn about ourselves and approach the differences between us with greater empathy.
The Big Questions
The Vibes Project is based on a simple hypothesis: By understanding vibes, we can understand one another. This understanding will come from research, interviews, and articles on this website and elsewhere. Here are a handful of questions I hope to answer:
- What are the most prevalent vibes?
- When someone gives off a strong vibe, what is happening? What is it about them that creates the vibe?
- What do people with similar vibes have in common? Can we define them?
- What can we learn about popular culture, society, and one another by understanding the true nature of vibes?
0 Comments