[Last modified: October, 27 2024 07:11 PM]
I was wandering around campus, searching for moments where people gathered in interesting ways. As I reached the pizza shop tucked under the archway at the back of the main campus, a lively scene caught my attention. Groups of students were scattered around the area, they huddled, ordered pizzas and chatted while they waited. The casual social energy in the air was magnetic; this simple shop had become a social hub.
With pizzas in hand, people moved from the shop to the open grass in the garden. Boxes were opened, and inside each was a pizza already cut into eight pieces. I watched people sat together, and each person offering others a slice to try a new flavor. Laughter and conversation accompanied each exchange, and slices moved seamlessly from one box to another.
In these exchanges, I could see pizza becoming more than just food. It had taken on the qualities of a Mauss’ “gift”—something bought yet offered freely, strengthening connections through the act of giving. No one calculated the worth of a slice or measured the fairness of the exchange. Instead, each person simply passed along a piece, creating a moment of social bonding. Through this small, shared ritual, people bridged the spaces between them. The pizza, a small and simple item, had become a vessel for social connection. Every slice of the pizza can reveal a sharing network which went far beyond its use value.
I struck up conversations with some of the people sitting on the grass, curious about the flavors they were trying and why they chose to exchange slices. A group of Chinese students sharing their pizzas laughed as one explained, “The best food is always in someone else’s bowl.” They grinned, acknowledging the humor in the saying. It leads to another important question: does the food itself really taste better?
The pizza’s taste didn’t change with each exchange. “It’s not just about the flavor,” one of them remarked. “The act of exchanging makes it more meaningful.” Through sharing, the pizza had become more than a meal—it became an experience that connected them and deepened their gathering. It wasn’t merely a slice of pizza anymore; each piece symbolized the inclusion and connection. I realised these exchanges added an unexpected layer to the food itself, making it hold the social value far beyond its simple, savory taste.