The Conversation Practice

 
The Conversation Book proposes a practice of shifting the circumstances and imagining a different kind of life as a result. The book consists of 38 questions. Most of the questions are based on a hypothesis: “what if”, inviting the reader into an alternative version of the reality where they would imagine a different version of themselves.

 

Methodology

 
1. Find a partner and / or a moment.

2. Pick a question or choose randomly.

3. Ask the question.

4. Listen to the response of your partner.

5. Propose variations to the questions (what if…) — these are very important!

6. Let alternative realities unfold.

7. Ask: What are the reasons behind the particular answers given?

8. Could the hypothesis become real and how?

9. Change roles: If you were asking now you are answering and vice versa

10. Reiterate.

 

Questions (Selection)

 

Question 1: If you could experience this world through the perspective of somebody else, which three persons would you choose?

Variations:
Try to think of the different types of people and explain why you’d choose them, for instance, somebody —

a) you already know
b) famous
c) who has a different profession than you
d) who’s totally different from you

Whose perspective would provide you with the most radically different perspective?

 

Question 4: If you were to die right now and experience three things just for 1 hour each, what would they be?

Variations: what if they were —
a) things you’ve already lived before
b) something you haven’t done yet, but could possibly do in the future
c) things that you would not particularly like to experience

 

Question 5: If you were to serve yourself as a dish, what would it be?

Variations: what if — 
a) you identified yourself as a dish (the ingredients, the way of cooking and serving)
b) you imagined if your good friend had to get a dish which they could identify to be you, what would it be?
c) you had to serve a dessert to it, what would it be?
d) your conversation partner has to identify you as a dish?

 

Question 13: If you invented a new drug, what would it be?

Variations: What would the — 
a) effects be?
b) side-effects be?
c) pharmacology be?

d) would it be addictive?
e) what if the drug was based on your personality, what would it be?

 

Question 16: If you could choose something important to leave after yourself, what would it be and why?

Variations: What if —
a) you were to die now
b) you were to die much later
c) you were just to have something named after you what would it be?
d) nobody knew it had anything to do with you personally?

 

Question 22: In the hypothetical case that the entire population of the world would think exactly as you do right now, what kind of world would that be?

Variations: Please, also describe —
a) what would be different from the world that exists already?
b) what would be the good and bad news?
c) do you think this world could exist for a while?

 

Question 22: If you could choose to be completely immune to three things, what would they be?

Variations: What if —
a) it’s not a disease?

 

Question 29: If you were a mayor of a city, what would be the three main policies you would implement?

Variations: What if the city is —
a) self-isolated
b) not isolated
c) a virtual simulation
d) a real city that exists today
e) a city that existed in the past
f) a fictive city

 

Question 35: If you were an algorithm or an AI, what would be the logic that you perpetuate into this world?

Variations: And —
a) how would it operate
b) what would be the logic it proposes

 

Some Recommendations

1. Take the time to think and to listen

2. Take the time to not think and to imagine.

3. Let the discussion unfold.

4. Follow the threads and let go.

5. Imagine your own questions

 

Get The Conversation Book

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To get the book online or in Berlin, please, order it in our online shop.