Honesty Through Anonymity
If you could share your struggles, desires, or confusions anonymously, what would you say?
Our personal anxieties often bleed into our public life and many of the conflicts in our communities arise from a lack of trust. It’s easy to be an angry neighbor if you don’t understand the other person. Over time I’ve seen how the anonymous prompt on the Before I Die walls have offered a gentle first step towards honesty and vulnerability in public, which can perhaps lead to a greater sense of trust and compassion in our neighborhoods.
Before I die in Connecticut
When Bailey Meyers created a Before I Die installation in New Haven, Connecticut, as part of a project to earn his Eagle Scout award, he was only fifteen years old but spoke with the thoughtfulness of a weathered soul. “I think when people anonymously put things on the boards, they’re more honest about it. They can really express how they feel inside because there’s no one judging them because there are no names connected to these things,” he told the Shore Line Times. “A lot of times we’re just constantly hurtling through life, going for the next job promotion, going to get out of school, going to pay for your kid’s college, all the things that you sort of have to do. You’re just working towards all these short term goals and you’re not really looking at the big picture of what you really want to do. So this will help people get back on track.” Read more in the ShoreLine Times and the International Festival of Arts & Ideas.