A hundred and twenty years ago, in 1901, Georg Simmel, an academic, wrote a seminal essay titled The Stranger.
He offered a wise piece of advice to anyone needing to take a decision: consult a stranger. The power of strangers stems from their objectivity: they do not need to please you or watch your expression (even if they did....?), are not bound by ties or by custom or precedent. They see things differently (though they have biases, of course).
And Simmel used the example of medieval cities in Italy that recruited judges from outside because no native was truly impartial.
History has proved Simmel right. Shouldn't we learn to consult a stranger and listen before we decide?
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