A photo illustration for a story published by The New York Times Magazine about “Social Contagion”, a phenomenon that proves how friends of friends can influence whether we smoke, get fat, or become happy

The three matches that got “caught” together represent individuals sticking to one another, or “passing on” something (the phosphorus or the flame). They also represent a play with fire, referring to the danger in introducing the phenomenon to the public.

The New York Times Magazine, 2009