Monday, Jul. 31, 2023 - 11:43 a.m.

Yeah so as often happens I’m less enamored of my idea today (I can see myself sitting in the heat, people wandering in, thinking, “What?” and leaving, and me just feeling ashamed), but given that those I shared it with loved it, I may pursue it regardless.

I think doing it in person, its success would rely on 1) the display being inviting and intriguing and captivating. If I’m just sitting there in a boring stall, people are not going to understand what’s going and will just find it sketchy and leave. It would have to be done proper to engage them as intended. The properties that will do this overlap somewhat with those of a good art show booth, but not entirely. The environment has to create a special mindset.

And 2) a good system for getting what I want out of people in a streamlined way. Checkout systems are designed for speed; part of what I’m taking in this transaction is their time. In a way the burden of coming up with a worthy trade should be on them. But I can imagine people going, “Ah jeez, I don’t know. I can’t think of anything/I don’t want to write an essay. Never mind.” It’s hard already to change the mindset. That has to be fostered. Maybe I’d need an assistant.

I like to think people who want the thing would make the effort. That my work would be worth their effort. That’s a good payment, a satisfying one for me.

Also there would have to be ways for quiet private people to do the transaction as well as good uninhibited verbal storytellers. Or whatever.

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