Scavenger Hunt: “Ask a stupid question”
My journey began with the quest for a weird question. Several hundred questions appeared in my head just like: what’s heavier; 2 pounds of cotton or two pounds of steel? If time is money, then I’m wasting your time right now? What’s your worth in fried chicken? And so on. But then a bigger question appeared: how can I tell a story if the question is just weird? so the answer appeared right in from to me. I wanted to create a question that played with the mind of the person answering it. so my question was the following:
“What is your stand on the theory of relativity where it basically explains that we’re all connected by unexpected actions that drive the universe’s impulses to tell us when to do things. So… are you hungry?”
The interesting part behind the question is not what is written; because it’s not the most coherent question. But, the way I delivered it to different people. Thanks to theater I have the ability to keep a straight face even in the funniest times (well most of the times at least). The first part of the question has to be delivered in the most professional and serious way. Then the last part has to be a total change; just like a zinger would be.
The interesting part is that every single one of the 10 people I asked acted the same way. As soon as they started hearing “familiar terms” like the relativity; they put a straight face and try their best to look smart. This involves putting their hands in their chin and making one of their eyebrows go slightly higher than the other one. Continued by a constant nod of the head (almost like a beat). This ends with the confusion when I asked them if they where hungry. The confused face involved the rising of both eyebrows and a slight opening of the mouth; usually ending with a soft “wha?” After they realize what was going it’s was too late and an awkward laugh finished the touch.
This really says a lot of our modern times. In a way this small gesture shows how most people try to create a shell around them that inevitably will fall and leave and the host open for criticism.