24. Pretend to be Someone Else

Topic 24: 23 June 2017 - Pretend to be someone else - "The most Interesting and Puzzling Questions for a Chameleon"

<> A chameleon is a small animal (a lizard) which can change its colours in different situations. We call someone a chameleon if they change their opinions or actions in an unexpected way.

<> In this meetup we are going to play a game of pretending to be different people; (you have to "change your colour" like a chameleon). We will then ask your opinion while you are each different person. If you can put yourself in the shoes of someone else, we say that you have "empathy".

<> For example, imagine you are an angry old man. As an angry old man, what is your opinion about, say, smart phones? Now imagine you are a middle school student. As a middle school student, what is your opinion about smart phones?

<> Here is the grammar for answering questions like this: "IF I WERE an angry old man I WOULD ...."

<> Here are some different people you can pretend to be (please think of others too):

<> a) an educated professional (e.g. an engineer); b) a bus driver; c) a housewife; d) a nurse; e) a politician; f) an elementary school student; g) a university student; h) a mid-life office worker; i) a retired man or woman; j) a teacher; k) a librarian; l) a salesman; m) a soldier; n) a diplomat; o) a journalist ...

<> Here are some questions you can answer while you pretend to be these different people (please think of other questions too):

1. What is a fair salary for me?

2. How many hours a week should I have to work or study?

3. What is the best way to relax?

4. What are the most interesting shops? Why?

5. What is the most interesting question in my life? ... and when can I expect to get an answer?

6. What people do I care about most?

7. What is something that I will probably never understand?

8. What am I most afraid of?

9. How should I plan for the future, or maybe should I just live day to day?

10. What are some problems I need to solve soon?