Maybe it's the idea rather than the follow through

I sparked a heated debate at my book club meeting tonight. One I wasn't really expecting, but perhaps should have. I had an idea while reading our book, 'Seven Days in the Art World', by Sarah Thornton, about conducting interviews with ordinary people "shop girls" and the like about what they wanted from their lives and what the craziest dream of theirs was. I wanted to interview them and blog about it, they could be named or be annonymous their choice.

I told this idea to my two book clubbers, and one loved the idea and the other wanted to know what the purpose of the interview process was. I guess I had viewed it as an art project, but also toyed with the idea of it as a sociological experiement. The only problem being what the purpose of the experiment might be.

Some part of me is just interested in the story. What people are about, and where they are, where they came from and/or where they are going. But my one friend brings up a good point, What is the purpose of the experiment? Why interview these people? What is your criteria. Unfortunately I didn't have an answer. I was just telling them an unfinished, unthoughtout idea that I came across.

Maybe I was just being narcissictic and wanted someone to come by and ask me those questions. Maybe it's an awful idea. Maybe I just wanted to go through the thought experiment, like so many of my other ideas. MaybeI should just keep my mouth shut. Maybe I wanted some controversy in my life.

Whatever the reason, I really only brought it up to discuss our book. To tell a crazy modern art idea I had while reading about art. I regret that that the discussion was cut short and we couldn't resolve it more satifactorily.