The Waiting Wall project in Brighton is giving commuters the chance to anonymously share their problems
Would you share your deepest, darkest secrets with thousands of people on your way to work? Of course you wouldn’t! No one would do that, would they?
Well, actually, yes. It’s exactly what thousands of commuters in Brighton are doing this week, after a giant digital board was put up in the train station, ready to display their most shocking confessions.
‘The Waiting Wall’, named after Jerusalem’s sacred Wailing Wall, has been above the station’s departure board since Monday, and will carry commuter’s anonymous messages until next week, as part of Brighton Digital Festival.
Already, over 5,000 people have sent their confessions about everything from secret loves to life regrets to The Waiting Wall’s website, with the most deep and meaningful being displayed for all to see.
The idea was created by digital storytelling partnership Free The Trees, made up of musician and software developer Alan Donohoe and his creative partner Steven Parker.
The duo were inspired by philosopher Alain De Botton’s 2012 book Religion for Atheists, which first suggested the idea of people sharing their secrets in a very public, digital way.
Donohoe says people are comforted by being able to share their inner demons, even if it is anonymously, and with total strangers.
‘We’re constantly being told that we’ve got to be happy all the time,’ he says.
‘We all have faults, make terrible mistakes and are haunted by things like lost love and personal failure. Acknowledging that you have problems worth sharing is still a big taboo in our society.’
Speaking about Free The Tree’s choice to place The Waiting Wall in a train station, he says:
‘It just struck me as the perfect place for it. There’s a strange feeling attached to waiting somewhere so busy, in such a transient place.’
The pair wants to roll the idea out nationwide, so start digging deep, because a Waiting Wall could be coming to your local station soon.
If you’re Brighton-based, and want to see your secret up on The Waiting Wall, post it to the project’s website. You can also check out @thewaitingwall on Twitter to see what other people have shared.
In the mean time, here are some of the most thought-provoking confessions that have been posted so far…
"I hope you are my last first kiss."
"Nobody knows just how much alcohol I drink. I drink all the time."
"I'm with someone but in love with my best friend. He doesn't know but he has my heart in the palm of his hand."
"I always wonder what my life could have been had I not chosen to take drugs that first time."
"I don't mind that he doesn't love me. Loving him is enough for me right now."
Excuse us, we're just going to call our mums/friends/anyone who will listen and do some serious over-sharing...