‘Big Talk’ gets down to brass tacks
If money weren’t an issue, how would you be spending your time? What new thing did you try recently and enjoy?
These little head-scratchers are among the questions that will be circulating at the first “Big Talk” to be held in Bangkok.
The session, taking place on March 14 at the Hive co-working space on Sukhumvit Soi 49, is billed as “End of Small Talk: Bangkok Big Talk”. Bnow.org, a Bangkok-based social enterprise whose mission is to link and inspire people, is the organiser.
Bnow founder Pacharee Pantoomano explains that Big Talk is a social experiment (and video project) that Kalina Silverman launched in the United States in 2014. She wanted to see what would happen if she skipped mundane small talk and plunged right into deeper topics of conversation.
The emotional stories that people shared with Silverman inspired her to work on making Big Talk a global movement.
“The idea resonated with me,” says Pacharee. “I was so inspired by the impact it’s had in communities around the world and how it connects strangers that I decided to try it in my city.”
The questions are universal, open-ended and, above all, meaningful. They dig for more than just a yes or no response.
The evening will begin with two Bangkok-based “life coaches” explaining the benefits of Big Talk and why it should become part of our daily lives. Then the attendees will split up into smaller groups, each drawing a card bearing a question and sharing their answers.
The coaches are Alessandra Marazzi, a “mindfulness educator” and entrepreneur and the founder and programme creator at TheResiliencePath.com, and Ann Wiame, founder of StandCoach.com and a trained teacher in MMS (motivation management service).
“By comparing ‘big talk’ and ‘small talk’, we question where we intentionally put our attention and how we redirect the flow of energy,” says Marazzi. “If big talk means we consciously direct our energies towards meaningful exchanges, with the intention of getting closer to each other, it can be transformational.”
Wiame says big talk requires “bravery”.
“With big talk, we can have true conversations with ourselves or others. There may be some embarrassment when sharing answers, but this humbling feeling provides the possibility to connect with ourselves and others.”
Bnow.org has been around since 2003, begun by a group of friends and professionals seeking to make a difference in the community. It supports start-up and SME entrepreneurs and annually distributes awards for the best in Thailand.
“Bangkok Big Talk” starts at 6.30pm on March 14 in the Hive’s sixth-floor Rooftop Garden.
Tickets cost Bt350 at Eventbrite.com until March 13 and Bt500 at the door. The price includes a snack box.
Find out more from [email protected], (02) 105 4217 and www.Bnow.org.
