Coined by sociologist Erving Goffman, civil inattention is the practice of acknowledging a stranger's presence without invading their privacy.
This is the stare that seeks to control, intimidate, or undress. It is prolonged, unblinking, and lacks warmth. It is the stare of the cat watching the mouse. This is the stare we are (rightly) afraid of. It objectifies the other person, turning them into a landscape to be conquered or a puzzle to be solved without consent. Staring at Strangers
Street photography, in particular, lives in this ethical gray zone. Legends like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Vivian Maier, and Garry Winogrand built careers on unposed images of strangers. Their work captures fleeting moments—a couple arguing, a child jumping over a puddle—that would vanish without an observant stare. Coined by sociologist Erving Goffman, civil inattention is
: You look at them for a fraction of a second from a distance. It is the stare of the cat watching the mouse
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