Thought questions are intended to inspire introspection, discussion, and debate, less to discover a right answer and more to test an idea’s durability from differing angles. The goal is to provoke thought and refine articulation.
“Thought Questions” are well suited for teachers, educators, youth groups, socials, group discussions, family gatherings, personal improvement, and more.
This question began as an experiment for high schoolers, which didn’t last very long for most. It could have been lack of commitment for some, for others the potential longevity may have tripped them up.
The aim of this question was not to see how far someone got in the day without saying “I” at all, but how far someone could go without starting a sentence with “I.” It doesn’t seem to be much to take notice of at first, but once someone is made aware of it, it seems “I” starts sentences more often than realized.
Consider, have you ever written an email, even succinct, professional, et al, and in reviewing realized many sentences begin with “I”? How often does “I” jump to the start of the sentence for you?
The student who lasted the longest was someone confident in the expression of her ideas. Specifically, what really helped her along is that in relaying her ideas, she didn’t usually begin with, “I think.”
“I realized,” she essentially pointed out, “that I don’t do that because me saying it is obviously what I think.”
The ultimate goal of this question is not to trip up someone in speech, but to bring awareness to how often “I” is at the start of things. Which leads to the deeper consideration of can the sentence be restructured so “I” appears later on, and does this change have any affect on someone’s thought process or perception?
Does it encourage someone to think outside himself? Does it make someone more aware of how much his own perspective commands his thoughts and speech? Does the change open a person up or does it have little to no impact on expression and interaction with others?
Who’s to say? Maybe give it a try and find out.