Ponderous Project

Having always been curious how other people’s minds work, I’ve set up a method for studying them a little closer. On this web site is a submission page titled Question Submission Form. There you will find a way to tell me the most hypnotic question you have ever known. What I get out of this is a simple way for me to study the minds of others. The process is not one-sided, though. There is possibly something in it for YOU. For those who submit the most captivating, most curious, most cerebral questions, there is the possibility of being a part of an upcoming Ponderous collection which will be titled Ponderous You.

For example, if a person named Djonny DeSoto was to submit a question such as: “Where did my sock go after I put it in the laundry drying machine?” and, if that question was deemed worthy, then he could expect to see the question on a page in the upcoming Ponderous You looking like this:

Where did my sock go after I put it in the laundry drying machine? ~Djonny DeSoto

If this interests you, and you have questions rolling around in your head which you think could benefit the world, then click here to submit a question.

By the way, there is no formal topic for the questions you may submit. There are some guidelines though which may help you know what sort of question will be more likely to get printed.

1. No profanity. If you’re unsure what constitutes profanity, you might refer to George Carlin’s “7 words you can’t say on television”. Though his list was collected from the television studios of the previous century, those words still relate to quality publications. Racist, misogynistic, or otherwise degrading words and phrases will not be accepted.
2. Questions should be universal, or close to, so they can be understood by everyone on Earth and most everyone off Earth. Avoid exclusive ideas, or complicated prose.
3. Philosophical ideas will be graded more highly. The original Ponderous was highly existential in its tone and so that is what is wanted for Ponderous You.
4. Avoid “Yes or No” questions. Some dead-end questions of this type will be allowed if their subject matter is profound and thought-provoking. Most will be discarded.
5. Avoid “Pajama Party” questions along the line of, “What’s your favorite color?” or “What would you do if you caught someone lying to you?” These sorts of questions may generate a variety of answers, but they don’t usually promote long hours of deep thought.
6. Ideal questions are those which can be followed by another question.
7. Simpler phrases or succinct wording is preferred.
8. Spelling and punctuation will not be graded, however, they will be corrected by the editor.