Is it rational to vent to strangers?

Yes, if you're Adam Smith. For him the emotional intensity in pair conversations has an equilibrium in the middle, and also that it's harder for strangers to empathize with negative emotions ("...they'll go on eating their dinners"). Therefore it's one's goal to dissipate one's negative feelings, then venting to a stranger and reacting to their lack of reaction would be rational.


Ian Betteridge in shambles.

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