In the world of SharableThings, strangers are all those people, just outside family and friends and acquaintances, with whom sharing might be possible.

Most people will probably look first to share with friends and family, but strangers sometimes make good sharing partners.

You may need an additional sharing party to round out your group – say, three families who are already friends need a fourth family to buy an organic farm.

A couple whose friends don’t play bridge are looking for bridge games.

And destination resort condominiums are often shared by co-owners who don’t know each other and never meet, because their co-ownership and condo use is governed by agreements and professional management.

The do-it-yourself sharing at the heart of SharableThings will often be among friends, but I hope there is a role for those friends-in-waiting who are meanwhile called strangers.