Smiles and Social Capital

I came across an interesting post on Keith Harris' Neighbourhoods blog about a local government in Australia that is tracking and publicizing the number of smiles between people passing each other in the streets.  Another example of an effort to increase the informal social capital and trust that has been on the decline. 

I think we know without a smile-o-meter that Boston would not fair too well in this metric.  The effort does remind me of Joseph Porcelli's effort to wear a nametag for one year.  That is sure to elicit more smiles than one typically sees on a Boston street!

Posted by David