Support Conversation. Donate Time.

… that was the question I posed on an intervention I made in the city of Eindhoven, seeking to create a distraction in the middle of the consumerist rush that the people live on Saturdays (specially around this days of the year!). A distraction that would put people to think about what is valuable for them, what is value in their lives, and challenge themselves to donate one of their most valuable resources: time. Donate for what cause? To preserve conversation as the most basic, yet fulfilling activity of the human being.

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-Is it Tea? -asked a woman.

-Yes, I also have tea, do you want a cup? -I answered.

-No, I mean that if this is is a campaign for drinking tea?

-Hm, no.

-Then, what is the brand? -asked the woman visibly confused.

-There is no brand, is just a coffee and tea giveaway, all for the cause of conversation.

The poor woman was so confused… she could not imagine something unlinked to a corporate image; but, even worse, it surprised me that after that short conversation, the woman felt less interest on joining the conversation; is like if she, as the classic consumer, liked to be targeted by brands and companies, and was more open to have a relation with a brand (as consumer), than having a relation with a person (as equals)…