Call at Random
ROGER-POL DROIT January 2001
Solo Activity
from 101 Expériences de Philosophie Quotidienne | Translated from French
It is important to note that this Activity should not be treated as a prank. Although it share similarities with prank calls, the goal is not to harass others, and those that become involved with this Activity should be treated with humanity and honesty.
Navigate to a phone keypad. If it is an analogue phone this activity is best, but it can be done with a smart phone.
Start dialing. At random. Blindly. Pay no mind to what numbers you a dialing, or how many.
Unless you are very lucky, this will only lead to dead ends. The telephone doesn’t work at random. And so steps can be taken to reduce randomness and increase the odds by which you will chance upon someone.
Perhaps you limit the numbers to your country, or a specific area code. At the very least you might limit the numbers you are dialing to a length that a phone number could exist at.
What happens once you connect with someone is very much left up to chance. Perhaps they act kindly towards this Activity. Perhaps not. The point of this Activity is not to make new friends, although it’s good if that happens. The point is to experience something of the extreme magnitude and density by which the human experience exists.