Scaled up, the same principle reshapes communities. Jane Jacobs in The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961) celebrated the “sidewalk ballet,” where ordinary street life becomes a civic performance when noticed and supported. Likewise, the Slow Food movement (Carlo Petrini, 1986) elevates everyday meals by foregrounding provenance and ritual. Murals on a blank wall or a neighborhood festival around a modest market stall make local life stand out, inviting pride and participation. Thus, bold attention not only enriches the self; it fortifies culture, turning shared ordinaries into living landmarks. [...]
