It’s not unusual for me to have extensive conversations with strangers. These days I’m spending a lot of time on trains, and have a lot of opportunity to partake of the company of many an interesting person.

In recent days, as well as the usual banter and jokes with the ticket staff, and random quips with fellow table sharers, I’ve managed to get myself embroiled in deep conversations about the design and influence of every day objects (with a marketing guru); the nature of the education in the school system, how it was constructed to prevent free thinking individuals and how the government is unable to redesign it in terms of its historical context (with a regional school coordinator); and the nature of consciousness, how it is affected by lack of sleep, and how everyday reality is shaped by random events and the attitude you have as you make your self present to it (mostly with myself.)