Every black dot is a thought-book. But they are in more places in town so stay tuned.
Today’s guest blogger is Matilda Melin and thinks a lot. She is 19 years and has lived in Hisingen all her life. Once, she spread out 100 blank books all over Gothenburg. It was the start of 365's thought book project.
"Cogito, ergo sum," said René Descartes. I say the same. "I think, therefore I exist."
I remember I watched a lot of Anders and Måns because they always brought up such interesting issues in their program and I like questions.
I think a lot, almost constantly, about everything imaginable, and many thoughts are just questions. One day, I wondered where all the thoughts go that we don’t write down or remember. I assumed, and still assume that these thoughts leave the brain as fast as they got there (the majority). I was somewhat struck with panic thinking that so many great ideas, challenging questions and smart answers are thought of only to be forgotten! I wanted to save my thoughts and thus needed a thought-book.
I watched Anders and Måns when I went my second year in high school.
Every day at school consisted of the same things and it was such a dreary April day a few years ago that the first public thought-book saw the light of day. Made from torn out notebook paper and a stapler we stole from art class, we stapled together little notebooks during math class. Then me and my friends snuck out of the classroom and put our books in the school toilets. After a few weeks, students scribbled them full of insightful (and some not so insightful) thoughts. It worked!
Then we had three tests a week until the summer holidays to deal with and the thought-books were put on hold.
But an idea like the thought-book can’t just be forgotten like that, and when I started reading 365 Things You Can Do the idea popped up again in my head and now I am sitting here writing a guest post.
In the city of Gothenburg, 100 books have now been released. At cafes, libraries, museums and other places. They are here for everyone to write in. So do it now, think and write. Empty yourself and maybe you can enlighten someone else with new insights, approaches or answers to questions.
Most of us have at sometime wished that they could read someone else's thoughts. Now I’m giving everyone the chance to. Literally.
Required time:
One to two weeks depending on how effective it is.
Cost:
Ranging from zero to 200 euro or more. Find good sponsors and you don’t pay a dime.
Cons:
You may become tired. Frustrated. Maybe no one writes in your books, or the books disappear. You can get treated in the most horrible ways whilst planting your books.
Pros:
All hassle and effort is worth it when you peer in at the cafe you pass every morning and see your thought book through the window. When people write in the books, you’ve achieved something really big and valuable.
