Interview: Kyle MacDonald

One red paperclip
One house
One year

By: Annie Li

Everybody has heard of them – from the 17 year-old millionaire to the 12 year-old novelist. Most people have dreamt of or even came close to realizing these potential achievements, but it’s much easier said than done. Just how many times have you imagined becoming a millionaire overnight, being the CEO of a successful company or starting the next trend in our technologically dependent society? Actually, there’s just one thing from stopping your dreams from coming true.

An idea.

A creative idea that is so powerful and moving that it will undoubtedly sweep everyone off their feet and into an obliviously satisfactory contentment. The red paperclip is an idea of similar magnitudes.

In the hot summer days of 2005, a man named Kyle MacDonald in Montreal had the light-bulb idea of trading one red paperclip that he had sitting on his desk for “something bigger and better”.

He posted this idea on the Internet and the next thing he knew; two people from Vancouver had called him up and were offering to trade a fish pen for the paperclip. He gladly accepted the trade and proceeded to trade the fish pen for an even better object. Thus began his journey to gain objects that were more valuable.

Kyle’s idea began to gain momentum and it was only a matter of time before he gained a one year lease to an apartment in Phoenix, Arizona. He traded this for “an afternoon with Alice Cooper” with an employee of the rock star who saw the apartment deal as her big chance for free rent.

Amazingly, Kyle then traded the afternoon with Alice Cooper for a snow globe, which seemed quite insignificant at the time, but proved itself to be worthy when it garnered a role in a movie. The trade was made with Corbin Bernsen, an American actor who happened to be one of the biggest snow globe collectors on the planet. In return for the snow globe, Kyle received one paid, credited and speaking role in a film by Public Media Works, room and board during filming and return airfare from anywhere in the world.

At this point, you might wonder, was Kyle satisfied? What more could he have wanted? Well, his bartering wasn’t over just yet. During the whole process, his one and only goal was a house. Since he wasn’t rich enough to buy a house with a snap of his fingers, he proceeded to achieve it through another way. Approximately one year from the emergence of his idea, his dream came true when he was offered a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan for the movie role. In fact, he was even given the Key to the Town of Kipling. Kyle immediately accepted it.

The manifestation of the concept of the one red paperclip received a swarm of media attention, and a large number of people tracked his progress online. It was an inspirational idea in which people were attracted to it as moths to a flame. In the end, one seemingly unimportant idea had blossomed into a life-sized reality for not only Kyle MacDonald, but also for those whose lives had been touched by his venture.

Needless to say, it’s possible that one of your own far-off fantasies might spring to life, and all you need is a key to unlock it. So when you feel like an anchor plowing through the depths of the seafloor while your ship sails on overhead, use your mind a little more, and perhaps your next inconsequential thought just might be that key.

My Interview with Kyle MacDonald

1. What gave you the idea of one red paperclip?

It was actually morphed from a game that I played when I was young. It was based on the same concept: asking for better things to trade than what you had in the beginning. When I saw that red paperclip just sitting there, I decided to try the idea online. As you can see, it turned out pretty well.

2. During your trades, you traded one afternoon with Alice Cooper for one snow globe, why?

It was actually prearranged.

3. So you knew that if you traded the afternoon for a snow globe, Corbin Bernsen would trade with you afterwards?

Yes. I had already planned out the next trade.

Note: That really surprised me. No wonder he did something like that, and I thought it was only a stroke of luck!

4. Can you give us some insights regarding your trading experience?

It was an extremely fun experience; I got to meet many people. In the end, I think it made a lot of people happy, which is what matters.

5. What did you aspire to be when you were in high school?

I had no idea – I still don’t. It was just finishing up school and seeing what life was willing to offer.

6. How has the one red paperclip made an impact on your life?

Well, now I’ve got high school reporters from Toronto calling me up. Haha. There was a lot of media attention. I would get recognized while walking down the street or just going about. I have a new house now, and it’s a pretty sweet story to tell. Though since so many people know about it, just a mention of the red paperclip and they’d go “you’re the red paperclip guy?” It made a lot of things happen in my life that wouldn’t have otherwise.

7. Do you have any advice for the students of Martingrove?

My biggest advice would be to keep your options open. It’s good to have one goal and know the one thing that you want to do, but make sure that you have back up plans. A lot of people walk out of the school with their mind made up of what they want to do for the rest of their lives, but that type of thing almost always changes. So be open-minded about the opportunities that are in front of you and be aware that you should hope more while expecting less.