The Problem:
Rage, stress, anger, frustration, irritation...the discomfort, dangerous acts and illnesses that they precipiate...unfortunate but real and dangerous side effects of the way we live today. Ideally we should be recognising these problems and reshaping society away from them, but for today they are very real problems, which deserve immediate attention.
The Social Invention:
Soundproof booths, which need be no larger than telephone booths, could be positioned throughout our cities, and particularly in areas where stress is obviously more likely, such as busy shopping centres and stations.
The idea is simple. When in need of emotional release, the irate frustrated citizen finds a local booth, enters it, closes the door and can let out any noise that needs to come out. They can scream, shout, cry, or sing in complete privacy, experience the release, calm down, and carry on with their day as a far less dangerous animal.
The practicalities of this scheme seem quite simple to me, but there is room for variation. The doors of the booths could operate on a timer switch...giving people five minutes at a time for example. The insides of the booths could be padded for safety during tantrums. Booths could stand alone, or be grouped together to form a unit with an attatched 'quiet area' where there are beanbags, tissues, crayons and paper for people who are feeling fragile after their scream to relax before heading back out to the buzzing world outside.
The booths could potentially be opended with a coin slot like a vending machine if funding is an issue, but i really think that they should be provided for free, and that reductions in traffic accidents, violent crime and stress related illness would more than compensate for their initial cost and maintenance.
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