Edge City is one of the most exciting, fun, engaging, dynamic communities of which I'm a part -- and here I get to interview one of the founders! (This is very exciting for me.)
Edge City runs month-long "pop-up villages" — 500 to 1,000 people from tech, science, culture, and art, gathered in one small, walkable town, building things together. In Timour's words, "It's got the dynamism of a city, with the vibe of a village — that's kind of a design principle for us."
In my words: It's like summer camp meets a tech conference ... and it's also a hotbed of attraction. :)
But what happens when you meet someone in an environment where you absolutely will run into them again? What if you don't want to make her uncomfortable by asking her out? How do organizers think about this?
As Timour puts it, "We are in a weird time when it comes to dating.” But don't worry -- we discuss the anonymous "crush" feature that could change everything.
We also get into the dating dynamics at the village specifically, including my feeling of being surrounded by attractive men and yet noticeably under-approached. We cover the couple whose second date really was an entire month-long event, and the strange twist where Timour says this is actually the opposite of Burning Man's infamous "playa romance" phenomenon.
If you've ever wondered whether there's a real-world alternative to the apps — something that isn't just another platform — this one's worth your full attention.
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Come to Edge City!
The next Edge City is in Goa, India from Oct 11–Nov 1. Plus there's a smaller, 30-person trip to Bhutan from Nov 11–19. Use code DEARMEN for 20% off Goa tickets. Details at edgecity.live.
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Work with us
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Mentioned on this episode:
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Memorable quotes from this episode:
- "I felt like there were all these attractive men, and no one was approaching me."
- "We've even had a few kids conceived at or because of Edge."
- "I don't want to be the weird guy who's approaching... what if that makes them uncomfortable?"
- “It was about how alive I felt in that environment.”
- “It’s exponentially more meaningful than a one- or two-day conference.”
- “There is the serendipity of running into people that feels magical.”
- “We’re pushing ourselves forward both personally as well as society.”
- “It’s the dynamism of a city with the vibe of a village.”
- “Why doesn’t your neighborhood feel communal?”
- “We needed from the beginning to have the architecture and DNA that would be welcoming to children.”
- “We grow up and we’re taught to find The One.”
- “You need to go through the crucible of, ‘Is this the right person for me?’”
