Walk 6: With(in) Daily Life

Intersubjectivity refers to the shared and built space between people, focusing on the often-unspoken ways we influence and are influenced by others in daily interactions. With this in mind, I designed my “performance” for this walk to challenge how I typically move through public and private spaces. The goal was to explore how a behavioral shift could alter how I’m perceived by others as well as how I perceive myself. In my private life, at home around loved ones, I’m usually loud and talkative, however in public, I tend to shrink and avoid interactions due to my anxieties. For this assignment I wanted to highlight the contrast and decided to invert these tendencies for one day: I would be quieter and less talkative at home, and more open and confident in public.

I picked a day when my family and I would be home during the morning and in the afternoon would go to the mall, which is a location that typically heightens my anxiety because of the crowds and potential interactions. The morning began normally, and I stayed quiet by listening more than speaking, holding back any usual extended commentary. At one point, while in the kitchen with my mom and sister, my mom asked why I was so quiet and my sister agreed, saying that it felt off. I responded saying that I just wanted to listen to their conversation to not give the real reason. Internally though, it felt a bit uncomfortable and alienating. Normally, my home is a space where I feel very comfortable being myself and enjoy interacting with my family, stepping back from that role made me feel like I wasn’t fully participating in the morning. I felt somewhat left out of the shared energy and connection that I usually participate in. Their confusion made me realize how my own voice and presence has the ability to alter not just my experience, but also theirs.

Later, we went to the mall and for my “performance” I decided to use a more upright posture, made brief eye contact and smiles at people who passed, and pushed myself to ask employees questions in a few stores, which as silly as it may sound, is something that I usually avoid out of nervousness. These small but deliberate shifts helped me see a part of myself that I usually save for more familiar settings. At the end when reflecting on the day, I found that altering my behavior, specifically the version of myself that I present in public, felt very freeing. It didn’t only change how others might have seen me, but it also shifted how I felt internally. The exercise made me realize that the confidence I naturally express at home is something I could start to integrate into public settings.

This “performance” for me, highlighted how we act in spaces can change our perceptions of our own selves. In private, my quietness disrupted what my family expected from me and in public, my confidence created different forms of interaction. The walk reminded me that identity is not fixed but is instead performed and co-created with those around us, even when they're unaware of it.