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The Eyes Have It
If a complete stranger stares into your eyes for two minutes on the TTC you’d probably contemplate pulling that alarm. Now if a stranger stares into your eyes for two minutes at an eye-gazing party that’s just par for the course.
Torontoist has learnt that eye gazing parties, the brainchild of New Yorker Michael Ellsberg, are coming to Canada. We’ve also learnt that there are still spots left for the inaugural event this Thursday, e-mail [email protected] with a short bio and photo to be considered.
Think of it as speed-dating but without all that inane, forgetable conversation, instead you stare into the eyes of 15 people you’ve never met. Later in the evening, after you’ve peered into their eyes and notice that their glasses haven’t been cleaned in a few days or that their blue eyes are actually contacts, you can try to talk up those you’ve so intently gazed at.
Ellsberg argues that eye contact is an extremely powerful social experience and having been on the receiving end of many angry glares, we agree with him. But this kind of dating opens up all sorts of interesting questions, does it reinforce that old adage that boys don’t make passes at girls who wear glasses, or vice-versa? For the record TOist loves bespectacled women. On the other hand it levels the playing field for those who are terrible conversationalists but nonetheless great people. Sadly, if you’re shy, you’re still out of luck. We for one, couldn’t think of something more unnerving for a wallflower than to be gazed at by strangers for an entire evening.