There are strangers in my house. Hundreds of them. Many of them come from faraway lands, places I have never been. Some of them wear tags, which tell me where they are from, but others carry no identity. I want to know their story. I want to know what its like where they are from. Were they loved? Were they treated with care? Are they okay being here? Where will they go when they leave my house? How long until they return to their origin?
A stranger is someone who’s story and origin are a mystery. Many of the products in our lives are strangers from faraway lands. If we ask them their story, they will not respond. We will have a difficult time finding a connection with these products. We may forget to treat them with compassion, and neglect to care where they end up when we are done with them them.
When a person knows the maker of their object, it becomes invaluable. It holds a story, a memory, and a connection between the maker and the possessor. "Hyperlocal" is about creating those connections.
