Place behavior

Individual behavior and dynamics are fun and interesing to analyze.  Something else that's really fun to do is sit and measure the dynamic and behavior of an entire group of people. When that group has something in common, like the love a particular place, the dynamic moves in a sort of syncopated dance that is really interesting to feel.

Think about music for a second.  Rhythm, melody, harmony, flow...  a place has these same things, especially when filled with the people who devote a part of themselves to that place.  The real interesting places are the ones that have a very dedicated following, like the place where I'm sitting tonight.  The people speaking to one another creates the melodic harmony that I'm talking about.  The room fills with the sweet flowing sounds of a hundred conversations and crescendos to a plateau of rolling sound.

Individual conversations tend to take on a really specifc rhythm.  This is something I've noticed while listening and talking in a couple of deep, long conversations.  We tend to match tempo with the other people in the conversation. It's subtle, but we all have a pattern built in to our speech.  The pattern depends on the words you use, the length of sentences, accent; every syllable has a place in the pattern which creates a rhythm. We alter our patterns based on who we're around, topics, etc. In the long run we all, in the conversation, will end up speaking in time with each other. Listen for it next time you are in a long conversation you'll never be able to unhear it.

Multiply that by 20 conversations in a small room.  They come and go like waves; they have accents, drop offs, brass and the quiet wood winds; each has a chorus adding to the whole with its own set of rules but ultimately they all fall into their place.

This is a good place. Sophistication mixed with boystrisness.   The hunt, the prowl, the lonely sole, the leaders, the belongers... some basic common interest brings us all together.  Something more interesting keeps everyone here.