Ant Hampton & Christophe Meierhans – Time For Answers

Hello, this is Christophe Meierhans and Ant Hampton here, we wrote this. One of us is a parent, the other isn’t. We’re both struggling with the questions you’ll be dealing with here. It seems we all have a lot of thinking to do alone, but in truth the answers are probably to be figured out collectively. Be welcome to reach us at ajh@anthampton.com and tof@contrepied.de

‘Times For Answers’ is played by –

1 adult with parental responsibility over:
1 child aged 8+

PART 1

This part is to be read on Adult’s phone*.
Child also has a piece of paper + pencil/pen.
Child takes the phone and reads the following out loud, adult helping where necessary. They sit comfortably, back to back so they can’t see each other.

*if no smartphone is available, this PDF of the score can be printed out.

---

Child reads out loud the following (everything in black):

I’m going to read a list of 16 questions to you. You may find them rather difficult questions.

Please don’t try to answer them yet – not here. They are questions which need more time and effort to answer than we have here. Just listen to them and think about them. This piece is called ‘Time for Answers.’ Time to think about your answers.

For each question, please let me know how ‘difficult’ it would be for you to give me a proper answer. 1 is least difficult, 5 is most difficult.

What do I mean by ‘difficult’? I don’t mean that you don’t understand the question. I mean that you might not want to think about the subject, or talk to me about it, or that the question implies a complexity or a change to how you and I live which you’ve been putting off. Please, take some time to think about your answers. Here are the questions. Please close your eyes.

Adult closes eyes. Child continues reading out loud to the adult:

Question 1: How wrong is it really going with the world?

Pause. Then Child continues to read this out loud:

So now please think about that question. How difficult would it be for you to give me a proper answer? 1 is least difficult, 5 is most difficult. Please don’t rush, and take your time to think.

Adult replies with a grade, 1-5.
Using the pencil and paper, child writes the number of the question, followed by the grade.
Child continues with the remaining questions. Each question is graded and written down as above.

Question 2: Have we done something wrong?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 3: About half the world’s wild animals have disappeared during your lifetime. Is this a coincidence?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 4: On a scale from 1 to 10, what chance do I have to live to your age?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 5: What’s the difference between a “climate denier”, and someone who admits there’s a problem but still takes planes and eats meat?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 6: How exactly does your job take part in transforming the world?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 7: How can I convince you to to do more?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 8: When you read all the bad news about the environment in the newspaper, what happens to the information once it’s in your brain?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 9: If we all know that we must immediately stop producing so much stuff and using so much energy, how come we’re still allowed to?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 10: Do you see yourself as someone who has an educated, adult understanding of the beauty and complexity of life on this planet?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 11: What does it mean when they say that society might collapse?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 12: How often do you give yourself time for this kind of thinking?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 13: As we grow up, when does innocence turn into ignorance?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 14: What should I do to best prepare myself for the future?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 15: Why is the future already happening in places like Bangladesh or Madagascar?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question. Then child continues:

Question 16: Last question: I do understand you can’t always let out your feelings in front of me about things like this. But what about when you’re alone, or with others?

Adult takes time to think and grades the question.

---

They remain back to back.

Child continues to read the following out loud, adult helping where necessary:

Thank you, those were the questions.
Now, using the ratings you have given as a guide, let’s choose the 5 questions which you could say are the most ‘difficult to answer’. Again – by ‘difficult’, I don’t mean that you don’t understand the question. I mean that you might not be used to thinking or talking about the subject. Maybe it implies a complexity or a change to how you and I live. Let’s do this together.

Child shares the grading notes with Adult.
Adult decides on the 5 questions, writes the numbers of those questions on the other side of the page, and then hands the paper to the child.

Child proceeds alone with part 2 !

PART 2

FOR THE CHILD’S EYES ONLY ! (unless they need help)

1. Take the phone* and the piece of paper with ‘the 5 most difficult questions’. Go to your room, or anywhere you can be alone. Close the door.

* if ‘Adult’ doesn’t have a smartphone, can you find something else to make a video with?

2. Learn the first of “the 5 most difficult questions” by heart.

3. Once you know the question well enough, set the phone to video mode. Using the selfie camera (you can see yourself on the screen), film yourself asking the question. You can erase the video and make a new one until you are happy with the result. Take your time. Check the extra tips for filming!

4. Then do the same with the four other questions!

5. Give the phone back to the ‘Adult’. Tell them there’s a surprise, “to be discovered when you’re alone.”

---

Tips for filming!

Look into the camera as if you are looking into someone’s eyes.
Relax your face and breathe gently through your mouth.
Try to smile with your eyes without smiling with your mouth.
Try and keep this state for 20 seconds before and after everything you say. It sounds like a lot, but this will create a great performance!