The Forum - a world of ideas
Bridget Kendall presents The Forum, the show which brings together three innovative thinkers from different cultures and perspectives to put forward new ideas.
Watch our 60 Second Ideas to Improve The World
Can poet George Szirtes save us from verbal bankrupcy?
Each morning, every person is to be texted the word of the day. They must repeat this word until its meaning has quite drained away and it is a mere nonsense sound. A meter will be provided to check the nonsense level. Once the meter is on zero and all meaning is gone, they will be required to construct ten different sentences using the word until it is refamiliarized and the meter shows 100. He calls this "washing the word." This will enable us to fully re-engage with language and to feel a sense of well-being, much as we do when wearing freshly-washed clothes.
Can sculptor Antony Gormley persuade you to barefoot?
At a time of global warming, with naked feet you can actually feel it. He has gone barefoot for a year and says that if you dispense with shoes you can appreciate distinctions and negotiate your environment in a totally different way.