Goodnight Questions
As a kid, when I couldn’t get to sleep, I used to ask myself an interesting question: something I could mull over until I either found a satisfying answer, or – more often – fell asleep. Over the years the questions piled up. Many of them I still haven’t answered, and new ones come up all the time. Maybe you want to give it a try? I’m posting them here and as videos on YouTube – if you find an answer to one of them, feel free to post a comment there so we can get to the bottom of them together. And if you don’t, I hope these «goodnight questions» will at least help you rest and think.
2026-6-8
Does everything important feel intense? Is everything that feels intense important?
2026-6-7
Are there people who you like a lot even though you disagree with them on major issues?
2026-6-6
How many topics are truly controversial – with both sides honestly believing what they say?
2026-6-5
Do you make promises to yourself? How many of them do you keep?
2026-6-4
Does dying get easier if you practice it?
2026-6-3
Would you want everyone to be totally honest with you all the time?
2026-6-2
What percentage of your ideas do you put into practice?
2026-6-1
Are you trying too hard, or do you give up too early?
2026-5-31
Would you rather have chaos in your home while the world outside was in perfect order? Or would you rather live in a chaotic world but a very orderly home?
2026-5-30
How often do you agree with someone just to end a conversation?
2026-5-29
Would you start reading a novel if you knew it was written by AI?
2026-5-28
Would you want to know the best thing that almost happened to you?
2026-5-27
When do you feel more at ease: when you say hello or when you say goodbye?
2026-5-26
If you accept that ignorance is bliss, would you rather be ignorant?
2026-5-25
To which truly important question does humanity not yet have the answer?
2026-5-24
Would you change the laws of nature if you could?
2026-5-23
Does God believe in us?
2026-5-22
When you get old, will you prefer your body to work better than your mind, or your mind to work better than your body?
2026-5-21
Are you living in sync with the world? Or do you feel that you’re often somewhat behind – or ahead – of where the world is at?
2026-5-20
If you could change the weather so that it never rained again, but the ground would somehow get wet from below – would you?
2026-5-19
Do you speak too much – or not enough?
2026-5-18
Are you better at starting things or at finishing them?
2026-5-17
What have you been looking for all your life that you haven’t found yet?
2026-5-16
Would you like to be more ambitious? And is that a paradoxical question?
2026-5-15
Are data all the truth?
2026-5-14
What was the happiest accident you’ve ever had?
2026-5-13
To keep bears and wolves away from sheep, could we just fence off those parts of the country where we want predators to roam freely?
2026-5-12
Are you living up to your own expectations?
2026-5-11
If everyone silently died in their sleep tonight – would that be a tragedy? For whom?
2026-5-10
If you’re trying to make the world a better place – isn’t that an insult to God, who created it?
2026-5-9
Would you want to live in a skyscraper?
2026-5-8
Is there something you do routinely even though you know it’s not working?
2026-5-7
For whom do you have the highest hopes? Do you think there is someone who has high hopes for you?
2026-5-6
If you think of yourself as «Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde» – what are the most extreme poles of your personality?
2026-5-5
Do you receive more mail than you send?
2026-5-4
Would you rather be all alone for a whole month – or be filmed and live-streamed nonstop?
2026-5-3
How many km² of the planet have not been walked on by a human?
2026-5-2
Are there things you understand but don’t accept?
2026-5-1
Miranda May or Miranda July?
2026-4-30
What if female birds suddenly started singing?
2026-4-29
Do parents of unlucky children owe them an excuse?
2026-4-28
Is not speaking an important truth the same as lying?
2026-4-27
Does everything happen by coincidence? Or does nothing happen by coincidence?
2026-4-26
If you believe in reincarnation: Do you think a worm would be happy to be reborn as you?
2026-4-25
Which problem are you hoping will resolve itself? At what point will you take action if it doesn’t?
2026-4-24
What makes you more uncomfortable: If you depend on others, or if others depend on you?
2026-4-23
In whose company are you most authentic?
2026-4-22
What would someone have to pay you for you to give up your worst habit?
2026-4-21
Who is more alive, Friedrich Nietzsche or God?
2026-4-20
If you could transport your life to a different era – which time in history would you choose?
2026-4-19
Which rule do you break most often? Would you abolish it if it were up to you?
2026-4-18
Do you owe the world anything? Does the world owe you anything?
2026-4-17
Would you want to be happy all the time? And if your answer should be «no» – what percentage of your time would you want to be happy?
2026-4-16
If you could take a pill that made you blind to unpleasant truths – would you take it?
2026-4-15
Can you look up to someone who’s below you? And can you look down on someone who’s above you?
2026-4-14
Do you think your personality will be very different in 20 years?
2026-4-13
Is it unfair to be exceptionally talented at something?
2026-4-12
Would you rather have a little less brain – or a little less spine?
2026-4-11
Do you think that politicians are generally better people than the rest of us, or no better, or even worse?
2026-4-10
Is there something you have learned too late? Do you teach it to people who are younger than you?
2026-4-9
What would you go to war for?
2026-4-8
Do you think our children, nieces and nephews will still learn to drive?
2026-4-7
Is it okay to ask a question to which you already know the answer?
2026-4-6
Our ancestors didn’t have the ability to capture the highlights of their lives in photographs. Do you think cameras would have made them happier?
2026-4-5
Is the Pope morally superior to you?
2026-4-4
Do you have a list of things you absolutely want to do before you die? What happens if you fail to check off everything?
2026-4-3
After your death, would you like to resurrect and stay around for another 40 days?
2026-4-2
Would you be ready to move to another planet, along with your friends and family, if you were guaranteed eternal life there?
2026-4-1
Do you think that Sleeping Beauty, after her 100-year sleep, was thrilled or disappointed with human progress?
2026-3-31
Which regime will fall first? That of the mullahs in Iran? That of Donald Trump in the US? Or that of Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel?
2026-3-30
Why do we build cars that can exceed the speed limit?
2026-3-29
If you could «unknow» one person – you’d have no relationship with her or him anymore – who would that be?
2026-3-28
Who should die first? You or your loved ones?
2026-3-27
Why do you prefer dessert over cheese — or vice-versa?
2026-3-26
What is changing faster: the climate, or your attitude towards it?
2026-3-25
We may not know the meaning of life. But what would you want it to be?
2026-3-24
Do you think God is a perfectionist?
2026-3-23
If you could erase one specific experience from your memory – which one would it be?
2026-3-22
Why do we lose our hair when we get old?
2026-3-21
If you made a list of your 10 favourite pieces of art — how many of them would a typical 20-year old be familiar with? And a typical 80-year old?
2026-3-20
If climbers couldn’t tell anyone they’d climbed Mt. Everest — how many climbers would still go there?
2026-3-19
If Jesus were to join your dinner party, would you dare ask him to turn water into wine?
2026-3-18
Do the things you look forward to typically turn out to be even better than you expected? Or slightly disappointing?
2026-3-17
Instead of professing our faith, should we maybe profess our knowledge – or our lack thereof?
2026-3-16
What is the most common sin?
2026-3-15
Is it wise to expect negative surprises? Is it wise to expect positive ones?
2026-3-14
What would be the ideal size of the world’s population?
2026-3-13
Do you secretly rehearse your comments and jokes?
2026-3-12
Would you want to be God? And if not – why not?
2026-3-11
How much control over your life would you want?
2026-3-10
Are you a cat or a mouse person?
2026-3-9
Do you think you say yes more often than no? What would happen if it were the other way round?
2026-3-8
Do we really need genders, or could we just be humans?
2026-3-7
If you could bring eternal peace to the world by dying today – would you be ready to sacrifice your life?
2026-3-6
Should everyone reach their full potential? If so, what about your enemies? What about villains and idiots?
2026-3-5
How much of what you’re prepared for actually happens? And how much of what actually happens catches you unprepared?
2026-3-4
What colour is the sky on Venus, Mercury and Mars?
2026-3-3
What are you secretly proud of?
2026-3-2
Do you choose your benchmarks yourself?
2026-3-1
If Mozart or Picasso had never lived — would you miss them?
2026-2-28
Are you an overthinker or an underthinker?
2026-2-27
If everything flows, does everything go down the drain?
2026-2-26
Are bats afraid of the light?
2026-2-25
Do you feel closer to the person you used to be or to the one you’ll become?
2026-2-24
Does the brain ignore pain when it’s constant?
2026-2-23
What’s your favourite inner voice?
2026-2-22
How often do you laugh even though the joke isn’t funny? And how often do you not laugh, even though the joke is funny?
2026-2-21
Do you think the world is among God’s best creations?
2026-2-20
Is there such a thing as white lipstick?
2026-2-19
Does it comfort you that everyone will eventually fade into a statistic, some just later than others? That at some point there will be no one left to read the statistics?
2026-2-18
If you were a colour, which one would you be?
2026-2-17
Would the world be more peaceful if everyone spoke the same language?
2026-2-16
If you could say just one single letter of the alphabet for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?
2026-2-15
If burglars broke into your home and stole everything except one thing – what would you hope they didn’t take?
2026-2-14
Would you rather be loved by one person and hated by 99, or liked by 99 and hated by one?
2026-2-13
Are you celebrating too much? Or not enough?
2026-2-12
Why is brass music even more appalling when it’s played well?
2026-2-11
Is it okay to say «Have a good rest of your life» to people you probably won’t see again?
2026-2-10
If you don’t have any problems – is that a problem?
2026-2-9
Would you have given yourself the job you have?
2026-2-8
What is worse: being cynical or being naïve?
2026-2-7
If you could do something that would immediately be undone right after, without anyone remembering it – what would it be?
2026-2-6
What bothers you more: the possibility of a black hole appearing in the sky, or the possibility of a skin-coloured hole appearing in your sock?
2026-2-5
Why does the German language have three words to say «why»?
2026-2-4
By when, approximately, do you think you will be completely forgotten?
2026-2-3
What speaks against an EU2 with Norway, Switzerland and England?
2026-2-2
If you were 10% better at everything you do – would your life be better?
2026-2-1
If you could illegitimately seize power over everything and keep it for the rest of your life — would you?
2026-1-31
Why do people with hair wear a hat?
2026-1-30
Is the joke that makes you laugh the most also the one you tell most often?
2026-1-29
If an AI could give you the perfect solution to everything – would you prompt it to do so?
2026-1-28
If God didn’t believe in you, would you still believe in him?
2026-1-27
Is there any human invention – other than palliatives – that truly made us happier?
2026-1-26
Would you like to be better informed – or would you prefer to get less information?
2026-1-25
How much money would you need to become unhappy?
2026-1-24
If you had the power to kill someone with a simple tap on your phone, unnoticed – would you make use of it?
2026-1-23
Is it possible to tattoo your eyes? And if yes, would you want to?
2026-1-22
What would you protest against? What would it take for you to take to the streets?
2026-1-21
What is the worst thing that could happen to you? What is the best? And which of the two is more likely to happen?
2026-1-20
If you had to get rid of one particular emotion forever, which one would it be?
2026-1-19
Which of your moral standards are you willing to sacrifice to fun?
2026-1-18
If you had to eat the same thing for the rest of your life, what would you be having?
2026-1-17
If you lived in another place, under another name – what would you do differently?
2026-1-16
How many sentences can you still read before interrupting yourself?
2026-1-15
What crime would you commit if it weren’t a crime?
2026-1-14
How much of humankind’s time on Earth has already passed?
2026-1-13
If you could be reborn as either a kiwi bird or a kiwi plant — which would you choose?
2026-1-12
If you were to completely forget one specific year of your life – which year would you pick?
2026-1-11
If there really should be a Judgement Day – would it be a day you’d look forward to, or one you would fear?
2026-1-10
If you think about an argument deeply enough – do you come out on the other side?
2026-1-9
Would you wear a pullover you really like if you knew it had been worn by someone you hate?
2026-1-8
Why do we publicly mourn people who die in a major catastrophe, but not those who lose their lives in a smaller accident that is just as tragic?
2026-1-7
What’s the bigger threat to society: a lack of intelligence or a lack of virtue?
2026-1-6
Would you rather be an advocate or a judge?
2026-1-5
Could one single tax – on each and every transaction of money – replace all other taxes?
2026-1-4
Who do you typically applaud? People who are better than you? Or People who struggle to match your abilities?
2026-1-3
If white contains all colours, why do we call it blank?
2026-1-2
What is your biggest problem?
2026-1-1
When, do you think, will you really get going?
2025-12-31
Do you think of midnight as an end or a beginning? Is it 12:00 o’clock or 0:00 o’clock?
2025-12-30
Would you prefer to live your life backwards, get younger and younger, and die as a shrinking fetus?
2025-12-29
Would you like to always be in control? Or do you enjoy a slippery slope now and then?
2025-12-28
Do you help others more than they help you?
2025-12-27
Would you rather live in a world without paintings or one without music?
2025-12-26
Do you prefer triangles or rectangles? Why?
2025-12-25
How much do you like yourself compared to other people?
2025-12-24
What else would you need to be truly happy?
2025-12-23
What exactly is coffee cream?
2025-12-22
Would you rather be praised for the wrong reasons, or criticized for the right ones?
2025-12-21
What is easier? Doing the right thing or doing the wrong thing?
2025-12-20
Which scientific field has the bigger impact on your life: a) macroeconomics, or b) microbiology?
2025-12-19
Do you prefer nonfiction or fiction? Why?
2025-12-18
How would you behave differently if your life were live-streamed 24/7?
2025-12-17
Would you say that children’s drawings are more comparable to classical painting or to contemporary art?
2025-12-16
What is your favourite country on the planet? And is it the same as ten years ago?
2025-12-15
Does God have a sense of humour? What if He burst out laughing?
2025-12-14
If you could press a button and know everything, would you?
2025-12-13
Will the last Homo sapiens realize that she or he is the last?
2025-12-12
Do «born-again» Christians celebrate two birthdays every year?
2025-12-11
Have you read this book? (https://www.harpercollins.de/products/abglanz)
2025-12-10
If there really were a Saviour – from what would you want to be saved?
2025-12-9
What takeaways could someone gain from analyzing your life?
2025-12-8
Would you still be alive today without modern medicine?
2025-12-7
Which scenario is more appalling: a big fish swallowing lots of little fish – or lots of little fish attacking a single big one?
2025-12-6
Would you prefer Santa Claus to really exist?
2025-12-5
Would you get used to snow being black?
2025-12-4
Are there people who go to bed early – and get up late the next morning?
2025-12-3
Is the time of your life behind you, or is it still ahead?
2025-12-2
If your life could be 10% worse but 10% longer, would you take the deal?
2025-12-1
How many things could there be for you to always stay on top of things?
2025-11-30
What’s a question you’ve always wanted an answer to?
2025-11-29
Is it still cool to be cool?
2025-11-28
Is there a word you would never say?
2025-11-27
Would the world be different today if Al Gore and Hillary Clinton had been presidents?
2025-11-26
If you come up with an amazing idea and then discover it isn’t new — does that make your idea less valuable?
2025-11-25
What is — for you — the most pressing question right now?
2025-11-24
If everything – the entire world – were of the same colour, what colour would you prefer?
2025-11-23
If tomorrow (Monday) could be skipped, would you skip it?
2025-11-22
50 years from now, what will be your country’s most prosperous industry?
2025-11-21
How many years does your hair dye make you look younger?
2025-11-20
What was the most courageous moment in your life?
2025-11-19
If you knew you would be King or Queen, would you support aristocracy?
2025-11-18
Does anyone become a dentist voluntarily?
2025-11-17
Is it even possible to be dead?
2025-11-16
If you could drink only one thing besides water — what would it be?
2025-11-15
How seriously does God take Himself/Herself/Itself?
2025-11-14
If Putin occupied a fifth of your country — would you let him have it to avoid a war?
2025-11-13
Do you expect the next generation to be happier? Do you think the previous one was?
2025-11-12
When you slurp an oyster, are you eating a living animal?
2025-11-11
If you were to find the meaning of life — what would you do with it?
2025-11-10
Would the world be better if people said «yes» more often – or if they more often said «no»?
2025-11-9
Should you (be allowed to) work on Sundays?
2025-11-8
What – after «Mortadella» – is the most beautiful word in Italian?
2025-11-07
Should we replace democracy with epistocracy?
2025-11-06
If you can «reach out» to others, can you also reach in to yourself?
2025-11-05
How often do you break the law? Would you encourage others to do it just as often?
2025-11-04
Is it time for us Westerners to develop an inferiority complex?
2025-11-03
Is it okay to watch a cat toy with a half-dead mouse?
2025-11-02
How would you define love and hate?
2025-11-01
If no one would reach their potential: Would the world be a) worse, b) better, c) the same?
2025-10-31
Do schizophrenic people deserve more than one gravestone?
2025-10-30
What time is it on Mars?
2025-10-29
Would you mind if the sky were green, and the grass were blue instead?
2025-10-28
When you’re sick, do you become a better person?
2025-10-27
If you were guaranteed that your death would be a very satisfying and enjoyable experience, would you still fear it?
2025-10-26
If you do something horrible in a dream – should you feel guilty?
2025-10-25
In a fair society, should it be possible to become a billionaire?
2025-10-24
Which politicians are dreaming of a white supremacist Christmas?
2025-10-23
Why do almost all people look better in black?
2025-10-22
Why do we shave off body hair but are afraid of losing the hair on our heads?
2025-10-21
Which god, which goddess has the most credibility?
2025-10-20
Would you rather start something that you won’t be able to finish, or finish something that you haven’t started?
2025-10-19
On what day of the week do you burn the most calories?
2025-10-18
Thrown into a Stone Age world naked, how long would you survive?
2025-10-17
Why isn’t pink part of the rainbow? Would you add it if you could?
2025-10-16
If garlic could ward off energy suckers, would you eat more of it?
2025-10-15
To create a fully vegetarian world, would it be okay to eradicate all meat-eating species?
2025-10-14
Does Tom Cruise have a second facial expression?
2025-10-13
Will there ever be another world war?
2025-10-12
How earthquake-proof are your castles in the air?
2025-10-11
If you could install a 5th season – what would it be like?
2025-10-10
If you are an asshole – can you tell whether somebody else is?
2025-10-9
What would you not do for a billion in cash?
2025-10-8
How would Tina Turner paint? How would William Turner sing?
2025-10-7
2025-10-6
Is it okay for a sadist to torture a masochist?
2025-10-5
Can you think of any historical example of democracy working well in a country that was in economic decline?
2025-10-4
Would you rather be a freak, a geek, or a sheikh?
2025-10-3
If plastic surgery could really make you look younger (I don’t think it can!) – how much younger exactly would you want to look?
2025-10-2
What is more important: how a house looks from the outside, or how it feels on the inside?
2025-10-1
If you were a blank page — who would you want to write on it?
2025-9-30
Does life become easier or harder with age?
2025-9-29
Will the buildings we build today attract tourists 500 years from now?
2025-9-28
If you were God, and your job (among many others) were to create human beings – would you create something like yourself?
2025-9-27
What would the be quickest way to ruin your existence – without breaking the law?
2025-9-26
Can life ever be fair as long as we are different from each other?
2025-9-25
If you agree that Beethoven, Mozart or Bach were the greatest composers of all time – why don’t you listen to them?
2025-9-24
If you could get a second life – would you take it?
2025-9-23
What is more important: To end war or to sleep more?
2025-9-22
Do you think you will feel better 24 hours from now, or worse?
2025-9-21
If you were one of just two people on this planet – who would you pick as your companion?
2025-9-20
What is the best feeling you know?
2025-9-19
Are we being unfair to Phil Collins?
2025-9-18
Would you mind if your life were pointless but very enjoyable?
2025-9-17
Is it better to be loved for the wrong things, or not to be loved at all?
2025-9-16
Why do cartoon characters only have four fingers?
2025-9-15
Could a robot do your job?
2025-9-14
Will a shrinking population be good or bad?
2025-9-13
Why is blue most people‘s favourite colour – and not yellow, green or red?
2025-9-12
Is it possible to fully accept the truth?
2025-9-11
Why don’t you go into politics?
2025-9-10
What is wisdom?
2025-9-9
How fast can a human run backwards?
2025-9-8
What makes a good book?
2025-9-7
Would you prefer an unjust God over no God?
2025-9-6
What’s the difference between an enlightened monk and a sedated patient?
2025-9-5
If you could get a glimpse of the future (10 years from now) — would you want to?
2025-9-4
If your life were a film, what genre would it be?
2025-9-3
What is a friend?
2025-9-2
Is it okay to feel sorry for yourself if others do?
2025-9-1
Can you fall out with someone you never fell in with?
2025-8-31
Would you rather: Die at the age of 70, but be remembered for 500 years? Or: Live to be 120, but then be immediately forgotten?
2025-8-30
If irony is dead, what took its place?
2025-8-29
Why is it that a good joke never gets old?
2025-8-28
Why don’t animals cry?
2025-8-27
If the truth were an open book, would you read it?
2025-8-26
If you could ask an oracle one single question – what would you ask?
2025-8-25
Is there something that is always the right thing to do?
2025-8-24
Love is the answer. But what was the question?
2025-8-23
Compared to your parents, did you make progress?
2025-8-22
What name would you give yourself?
2025-8-21
If you don’t have a spine, what happens to your head?
2025-8-20
How often do you lie to yourself?
2025-8-19
Do you prefer to be loved from above or from below?
2025-8-18
What’s your best excuse?
2025-8-17
Would you stop working if you didn’t have to?
2025-8-16
Is it possible to be honest and friendly?
2025-8-15
If you didn’t have to sleep — you’d never get tired — what would you do with the time you would gain?
2025-8-14
Are optimists disappointed more often?
2025-8-13
If you could take a pill that would make you happy forever, always — would you take it?
2025-8-12
Why do kids want to be grown-ups, while grown-ups want to be kids?
2025-8-11
Are colourblind people any less happy?
2025-8-10
What‘s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done – and how would your life be different if you hadn’t done it?
